All-Star Again! Texas Rangers Closer Kirby Yates Reflects On Long, Impossible Road Back To All-Star Game Glory

Texas Rangers closer Kirby Yates has been nearly flawless out of the bullpen so far in 2024 and he's returning to the All-Star Game for the first time since he led the Majors with 41 saves in 2019.

Jun 13, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kirby Yates (39) reacts after the final out of the ninth inning to earn a save against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

ARLINGTON — Five years ago, Kirby Yates was an All-Star for the San Diego Padres.

It was his sixth season in the big leagues and he led the Majors with 41 saves. His next three seasons, however, another All-Star Game was the furthest thing from his mind.

A string of arm injuries, including a Tommy John surgery, nearly derailed Yates' career just it had begun to flourish.

"Yeah, the last five years have been weird," Yates said after learning he was selected by the players, along with second baseman Marcus Semien, to represent the Texas Rangers in the All-Star Game on July 16 at Globe Life Field in Arlington. "Look, if you were to ask me in April or May last year, if I thought this was possible, I probably would have said no."

At the time, Yates was just happy to be pitching the Majors again, this time with the Atlanta Braves. He had barely pitched in 2020 and missed the entire 2021 season after Tommy John, and returned for a handful of games in August and September 2022. Deep down, he felt if he kept working, making adjustments along the way, he had that 2019 stuff still in him. It started to show up with the Braves in 2023 and the Rangers signed him in the offseason hoping he could be a high-leverage option, along with David Robertson, Jose Leclerc, and Josh Sborz.

Boy, has he ever. Yates has converted all 13 save opportunities and has a microscopic 0.86 ERA, second-best among all relievers. He was a no-brainer choice for the American League All-Star bullpen. But it didn't just happen.

"I did feel like this was attainable this offseason. And there were some adjustments that I had to make," said Yates, 37. "I made them, and thankfully, they've all paid off. There's still a lot of work [that occurred] in the last five years. That's just basically what it was. It's just work. You know what I mean? So that's something that I'm not afraid of. That's just what it took."

Yates' long road road back is the kind of story that Rangers manager Bruce Bochy appreciates.

Kirby Yates on earning a second All-Star nod five years after his first... pic.twitter.com/PrPMveAb36

— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) July 7, 2024

"It's one of the things you love. In this game, when you're able to give good news like that," Bochy said. "Kirby's has been pretty close to flawless. We're not where we want to be [as a club], but to think where we would be without him. It's pretty cool to tell them that, especially after the road he's had to go down with surgery, come back and now he's on the All-Star team says a lot about him, his intestinal fortitude to keep pushing and wanting to get back on the field."

In 2022, returning from surgery, he wasn't always sure whether his arm would hold up.

"It just didn't feel right and I kind of stepped back and kind of realized, I took three years off and I was still able to go out there and be productive," he said. " I felt like I was still a decent that year. And I didn't feel like I pitched that good. So that was kind of a huge confidence boost for me to go into this year. So far, it's been [about] executing pitches and the stuffs been good."

Yeah, pretty good. Yates has 43 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings over 31 games so far in 2024.

"To get back to that level that I thought I could [get to], and [the All-Star selection] gives it a little bit of validation that I've been pretty good in the first half," he said. "Going through this once before, I know that the emotions don't really start hitting you until you get closer to the game. think I'll be a little bit more mellow. [In 2019], it didn't really kick until when the Star-Spangled Banner is going on, and you look up and you see your family and you see everybody how excited they are. I am excited. I'm very, very proud of myself."

You can follow Stefan Stevenson on X @StefanVersusTex.

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