January 19, 2021

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays and free-agent reliever Kirby Yates have reportedly agreed to terms on a deal for the 2021 season, pending a team physical.

A veteran of seven big league seasons since breaking in with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014, Yates, 33, has posted an overall ERA of 3.54 with a K/9 of 12.8 across 282 1/3 inning during his MLB career.

Since emerging as an elite back-end reliever in 2018, the 5-foot-10 product of Lihue, Hawaii, has converted 55 of his 59 save opportunities, striking out 199 of the 518 batters he's faced (39%) and walking just 34 over that stretch.

With Yates in the fold, 2020 standout Rafael Dolis will likely slide into a setup role, while Jordan Romano has a chance to take over as Toronto's leverage seventh-inning right-hander. This realignment, coupled with added big-league experience from Shun Yamaguchi and Patrick Murphy, should bode well for a team that finished in the bottom six among all MLB clubs in relief ERA last season (4.71).

Although the 2019 N.L. All-Star and saves leader underwent surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow last August, he is expected to be active when pitchers and catchers report to Dunedin next month.

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