Kirby Yates

Relief pitcher Kirby Yates agreed to a two-year, $8.25 million contract with a club option for 2024 with the Atlanta Braves

Fantasy Impact

Yates will more than likely be tasked with giving the Braves another high-leverage arm in the late innings. Yates underwent Tommy John surgery in March and missed all of the 2021 season and will not be ready until the mid-part of the 2022 season.

The Blue Jays transferred Kirby Yates (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Sunday.

Fantasy Impact

Yates will miss the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list in order to clear up a 40-man roster spot. LHP Tommy Milone was added to the Blue Jays roster in a corresponding move. Yates will rehab and look to return for the 2022 season.

Blue Jays RHP Kirby Yates underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday.

Fantasy Impact

Yates' season is officially over before it ever began. He'll be sidelined into the 2022 campaign as he recovers from the second Tommy John surgery of his career. In his place, Jordan Romano is expected to serve as the Blue Jays' closer. He has the talent and strikeout upside to hold the job all season long.

Blue Jays reliever Kirby Yates is “most likely” heading for season-ending Tommy John surgery, according to general manager Ross Atkins.

Fantasy Impact

Yates was originally diagnosed with a flexor pronator strain in his right arm and was expected to miss multiple weeks, but the injury is apparently much more serious than that. Nothing has been officially decided yet, but fantasy managers should assume at this point that Yates will miss the 2021 season. With Yates out, Jordan Romano is the favorite to close out games for the Blue Jays, though Rafael Dolis could get a look, as well.

Blue Jays reliever Kirby Yates is dealing with a major injury. The right-hander was diagnosed with a flexor-pronator strain in his right arm and is expected to miss multiple weeks.

Fantasy Impact

This is a major loss for the Blue Jays' bullpen as Yates was in line to win the closer role. He has had an up-and-down career but became a highly-coveted free agent this past winter after 2019 saw him make the All-Star Team and finish ninth in Cy Young voting. He owns a 3.54 ERA over 291 career appearances. The Yavapai College product turns 34 on Thursday and, prior to his injury, checked in as the 10th-best reliever in the latest expert consensus draft rankings.