1:35pm: The Indians have announced the trade. According to the Associated Press, the Yankees paid Cleveland $78K for Yates.
1:25pm: The Yankees have acquired right-hander Kirby Yates from the Indians in exchange for cash considerations, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network (via Twitter). Yates had been designated for assignment by the Indians earlier this week. Cleveland had originally acquired him from the Rays earlier this offseason.
Yates, 29 in March, enjoyed a solid rookie campaign in 2014 when he logged a 3.75 ERA with a robust 10.5 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9. He couldn’t replicate that in his age-28 season, however, due largely to an incredible amount of home runs allowed. Yates is an extreme fly-ball pitcher, but nearly one third of the balls put in the air against him left the yard this past season (30.3 percent). Extreme fly-ball pitcher or not, that rate is nearly unheard of and is almost certain to regress in the future. However, the poor results left Yates with a 7.97 ERA due to yielding 10 homers in 20 1/3 innings. That skill-set and the homer-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium would seem to be a dangerous combination, although Yates’ track record of missing bats is enticing, and homers were never a problem for him throughout his minor league career.
Because the Yankees’ 40-man roster was only at 37 players prior to the acquisition of Yates, a corresponding move is not necessary in order to clear a roster spot.
That’s so smart.. When you have those outfielders (Hicks, Gardner if he stays, Ellsbury) it’s better to keep batters hitting long flyballs.. Yes the ball might end up over the wall but.. Whatever a homerun doesn’t always win the game
Better to keep batters hitting long flyballs than grounders? Especially in the hitter friendly (or at least left-handed hitter friendly) confines of Yankee Stadium, those flyballs are dangerous.
With Yates pitching, imagine how much rest Yankees closers will get. They will never see the light day when those HR’s put the game out of reach
Ehhhh…throws hard (93’ish). Might as well give him a shot.
Worst case scenario we add another adjective to the baseball vernacular.
“Such and such was sent down to AAA today. He was suffering from a bad case of the “Yates”. That’s when a pitcher alternates between 2 walks and then a homerun..
That’s the 3rd player the Yankees have signed to a minor league deal this afternoon. Yates does have a minor league option left so he along with the other 2 players just signed: Jonathan Diaz and Donovan Solano are probably more minor league depth than any real chance to make the big league club.
I’m not sure I see the benefit of signing a fly ball pitcher to play in Yankee stadium.
kirby yates is such a terrible pitcher dont know why he still has a job
He’s two years into his major league career, with one good year and one bad year that was terrible because of insane HR ratio. I don’t know what his minor league numbers are, but if they were at least close to his rookie season (if not better) then the guy has some potential to be an average pitcher. There are pitchers with much worse track records that get signed so this isn’t bad as a depth move.
As a Rays fan, I feel for Yankee fans right now lol
These minor league acquisitions are for depth as they move others up different levels within their minor league system. In addition, is adding more players they can package into other deals if it happens to work out for any given deal. This transaction does not mean Yates is going to be in the majors. What if Yates find a way to produce, then the Yanks can benefit. If not, no major harm done. All teams have budgets to make these kinds of moves.
I see folks always panicking with these moves. No need to!
I am reading that this is a major league deal not a minor league move. Better hope he misses those bats rather than kisses them. And a right handed pitcher pitching to lefties with the short porch out there. ….. Playing with fire !!!