San Diego Padres fans don’t need a reminder that bullpen dominance can be fleeting, but the Los Angeles Angels signed a fleeting arm anyway.
The Angels finalized a one-year, $5 million deal with former Padres closer and veteran reliever Kirby Yates on Jan. 6. He’ll also reunite with pitching coach Mike Maddux, who helped oversee Yates’ ridiculous 2024 run with the Rangers (33 saves, 1.17 ERA), which is basically Angels bio right now: low commitment, high upside, and a prayer circle around “bounce-back.”
Kirby Yates signs with Angels in a frantic bargain spree Padres fans know too well
If you watched the 2019 Padres, you remember the cheat code version of Yates.