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IMAGE: Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kirby Yates (38) delivers in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. \/ Jayne Kamin-Oncea \/ Imagn Images
\nKirby Yates Heads to Angels, Rangers\u2019 Bullpen Strategy Remains a Puzzle<\/p>\n
Kirby Yates is on the move again-and this time, he\u2019s staying in the AL West. The 38-year-old right-hander is reportedly signing a one-year, $5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels, adding a veteran presence and proven closer to a bullpen that\u2019s clearly trying to retool itself into a late-inning force.<\/p>\n
Yates is coming off a quietly strong season with the Texas Rangers, where he made his first All-Star appearance since 2019 and converted 33 of 34 save opportunities. That kind of efficiency in high-leverage situations doesn\u2019t just happen by accident-it\u2019s the product of experience, command, and a mentality built for pressure. He\u2019ll now bring that same edge to Anaheim, joining a bullpen that already added Jordan Romano earlier this offseason.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a reunion angle here: Yates will be working once again with pitching coach Mike Maddux, a familiar face who knows how to get the most out of veteran arms. For the Angels, this is a calculated move. They\u2019re not just collecting names-they\u2019re building a bullpen with defined roles and playoff aspirations.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Arlington: A Different Approach<\/p>\n
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While the Angels are making targeted bullpen upgrades, the Texas Rangers have taken a different route-and it\u2019s raising eyebrows. Despite watching several former relievers sign affordable deals elsewhere, Texas has opted for a patchwork approach, leaning on low-cost reclamation projects and minor league contracts.<\/p>\n
Yates, despite his age, could\u2019ve been a stabilizing force in a Rangers bullpen that still feels like it\u2019s searching for an identity. Yes, his numbers with the Dodgers last season weren\u2019t pristine-he posted a 5.23 ERA across 50 appearances with 52 strikeouts, 17 walks, and a 1.33 WHIP in just over 41 innings. He wasn\u2019t part of L.A.\u2019s postseason run, which ended in a World Series title.<\/p>\n
But when you stack that line next to the Rangers\u2019 two biggest bullpen additions so far-Tyler Alexander and Alexis D\u00edaz-Yates still compares favorably. Alexander logged a 4.98 ERA over 61 innings with similar strikeout and walk rates.<\/p>\n
D\u00edaz, meanwhile, bounced around three different teams and finished with an 8.15 ERA in just 18 games. In other words, it\u2019s not like the Rangers have been scooping up elite arms while letting Yates walk.<\/p>\n
Still No Clear Plan for the Rangers\u2019 Bullpen<\/p>\n
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Texas entered the offseason with a clear to-do list: rebuild the bullpen. Again. And while they\u2019ve made moves, the strategy behind those moves remains murky.<\/p>\n
The most notable addition is the return of 38-year-old Chris Martin, who brings leadership and a track record of success-but also age and injury history. Beyond that, the Rangers added Alexander and D\u00edaz on one-year deals, and filled out the depth chart with minor league signings and a Rule 5 Draft pickup.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, three former Rangers relievers have signed with the Cubs, and arguably their best bullpen arm from last season signed a modest $5 million deal with Cleveland-the same figure Yates just got from the Angels.<\/p>\n
Unless something changes soon, Texas looks poised to enter 2026 with a bullpen built on hope and low-risk gambles. There\u2019s talk of potentially re-signing Josh Sborz on a budget deal and maybe adding another arm or two, but the ceiling on this group, as currently constructed, is hard to define.<\/p>\n
This is a franchise that just won a World Series and knows what a dominant bullpen can do in October. Right now, though, that kind of reliability feels like a distant memory.<\/p>\n
The Rangers still have time to make moves, but with each passing day, the window to shore up the bullpen with proven talent gets a little smaller. And in a division that\u2019s only getting tougher, that\u2019s a risk they may not be able to afford.<\/p>\n
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