Oakland Athletics: Three options at closer

Kirby Yates

Kirby Yates presents an interesting closer option for the Oakland Athletics to target this offseason. In 2019, Yates was one of the best closers in baseball for the San Diego Padres.

He recorded 41 saves, leading the entire MLB, and pitched to a breathtaking 1.19 ERA. Yates was feared coming out of the bullpen into the 9th inning, while doing the job incredibly efficiently. In 2019, he only blew three saves for a 93.2 save percentage.

Then came 2020, which proved a disaster for Yates. The 27-year-old suffered an injury-riddled campaign in which he only threw 4.1 innings in six games. In those six games, his ERA ballooned to 12.46, before opting for season-ending surgery to remove bone chips in his throwing elbow.

By the end of the season, San Diego let Yates walk into unrestricted free agency fearing the recency bias of his injury issues. However, this opens the door for the Athletics.

While Tommy John surgery has become a mainstay for today’s MLB arms, injuries to pitching arms still light off red flags. Coming off an injury-riddled 2020 campaign, it’s safe to say the free-agent market won’t be super generous for Yates.

Enter the Athletics, who should be able to sign a proven closer to a relatively cheap contract. If Yates is able to fully recover and avoid any velocity loss on his mid-90s fastball, then there’s no reason he can’t return close to his 2019 form. If the Oakland Athletics are comfortable enough with Yates’ injury rehab, then this option is worth pursuing.