TEMPE, Ariz. -- Growing up in Hawaii on the small island of Kauai, Kirby Yates heard plenty about a talented catcher from Maui four years older than him.
And so while he never played with Kurt Suzuki, who is now his manager with the Angels, Yates rooted for him from afar going back to Suzuki’s days at Cal State Fullerton. Yates said he’ll never forget the pride that Suzuki brought to Hawaiians when he logged the game-winning hit in the 2004 College World Series and Yates is excited to finally wear the same uniform with the skipper.
“It’s kind of a brotherhood,” Yates said. “He’s not that much older than me, but in baseball years, he is. Even when he was at Cal State Fullerton and got that big hit, I was back in Hawaii and it was really cool to have a Hawaii boy do all that. Everybody followed his career from then on and he’s definitely somebody I looked up to. So it's really cool to have him as a manager and get to play for him.”
Suzuki, who went on to play 16 years in the Majors, said he’s also always enjoyed watching Yates succeed over the years. Yates has pitched 11 seasons in the Majors, being named an All-Star both in 2019 with the Padres and with the Rangers in ‘24. And while he’s coming off a down year with the Dodgers in ‘25 that saw him post a 5.23 ERA in 41 1/3 innings, Suzuki believes Yates is primed for a bounce-back year with better health.
“I'm a big fan,” Suzuki said. “Obviously, he's from Hawaii and we brought that up. But just watching Kirby pitch in big situations, he was one of the best closers in the game for a long time. Last year, he dealt with injuries and mechanical issues, but he’s in a good place right now, mentally and physically.”
Yates, 38, joined the club on a one-year deal worth $5 million this offseason and said they’d been aggressive in trying to sign him in recent years. Last season, Yates got off to a great start, posting a 2.95 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings before coincidentally injuring his right hamstring while pitching against the Angels on May 17.
Yates gave up a three-run homer to catcher Logan O’Hoppe that game and landed on the injured list with his hamstring strain before returning on June 8. But Yates said things continued to spiral and he ran into mechanical problems that led to a 5.96 ERA in 22 innings the rest of the way that kept him off the Dodgers’ postseason roster.
“Last year was pretty rough,” Yates said. “There's probably a chunk of time where I was pitching when I probably shouldn't have. But I did a lot of work this offseason, put a lot of effort into this.”
Yates was elite as recently as 2024 with the Rangers, recording 33 saves, a 1.17 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. And now he’s reunited with pitching coach Mike Maddux, who was in that role with Texas from 2023-25 before joining the Angels this offseason.
“It’s a good thing just to have somebody that's familiar with me, especially when I was throwing the ball well with him,” Yates said. “He can kind of pick apart some things pretty quickly. He's already said a few things to me, which made sense and we've already kind of been working on them.”
Yates has made two appearances this spring, allowing one run on three hits while striking out three. His velocity on his four-seamer and splitter are down roughly one mph from last year as he continues to build up his arm strength.
And while Yates knows what he has to do to get ready for the season as a veteran, he also is aware that the club doesn’t have a set closer. He’s a candidate for that role along with right-hander Robert Stephenson, who is working his way back from right elbow and nerve issues, and fellow veterans Jordan Romano and Drew Pomeranz. Flamethrower Ben Joyce could also find himself in that mix once he returns from right shoulder surgery.
Nobody has separated themselves just yet and Suzuki said Monday that while he’d prefer to have a set closer, he’s open to having several options. With 98 career saves, Yates has the experience, but knows he’ll have to earn that role after his down year in ’25.
“You always pitch yourself into a role in the bullpen and obviously I want to be in the back end,” Yates said. “I’m most comfortable pitching the ninth, but I’ve got to go out there and pitch well.”