ARLINGTON — Kirby Yates got to know Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young during spring training camp with the San Diego Padres in 2018.
It was Young's final stint in the league before retiring at age 39. Yates was a 31-year-old journeyman reliever on his fourth team in five years.
"We had a lot of conversations and had a lot of respect for him then, and I thought he was absolutely brilliant in what he did," said Yates, who signed a one-year deal with the Rangers on Wednesday at the MLB Winter Meetings in Nashville. "When Texas hired him for a front office job, I thought that was just a tremendous hire."
Yates led the National League with 41 saves in 2019, but then battled injuries and surgery for much of the next three seasons. He rebounded with the Atlanta Braves in 2023, compiling a 3.28 ERA in 60 1/3 innings, with a 7-2 record and five saves.
"Going into last year, the one thing I needed to do for me personally was to see where my career was going to go, I needed to stay healthy, I needed to check the box that I could still pitch a major league season healthy," Yates said. "I did that, I think."
Yates believes he can pitch even better in 2024. The Rangers are in need of several reliable bullpen arms, and they hope he can help bridge the gap with Jose Leclerc and Josh Sborz.
"You don’t get to choose which teams are going to target you in free agency," he said. "But when you get a call that Texas is interested, obviously, your ears perk up."
Beyond Yates' conversations with Young with the Padres, he got to see Rangers manager Bruce Bochy work up close in the NL West when he was managing the San Francisco Giants.
"I have a lot of respect for him as everybody else does. I think what he does with the bullpen is top-notch, second to none," Yates said. "For me, personally, to just get a chance to be a part of it, especially with that staff and everything, I think it’s kind of a no-brainer."
And then, when you add in that the club is coming off a World Series title and is prepared to contend in the future, Yates said, joining the Rangers was an attractive landing spot.
"Everything I’ve heard about the organization has been top-notch, and then you also get a chance to go out and compete for a championship every year. I don’t know if you want anything more as a player, personally," he said. "I’m hoping it’s an easy transition. I’m excited, and I think it’s going to be a lot of fun."
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