Kirby Yates

Yates was one of the most dominant relievers in the game in 2019, but missed almost the entire 2020 season and had surgery in August to remove bone chips from his elbow. He'll now head to the Blue Jays where he'll serve as their closer. Yates is older than you think - he'll be 34 years old by Opening Day - and any pitcher coming off elbow surgery is a risk. But given that he had a 42% strikeout rate and excellent control before his lost 2020 season, he offers plenty of upside. With few reliable closers outside of a handful of top options, Yates makes an intriguing RP pick who could offer a major return on investment if he shows he's back to form in the spring.

Kirby Yates deal expected to be one-year, $8.25 million with incentives

Kirby Yates' deal with the Toronto Blue Jays is expected to be one-year, $8.25 million plus incentives, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The deal is still pending a physical, however.

Fantasy Impact

The 33-year-old Yates only made six appearances for the Padres in 2020 before an elbow injury, which later required surgery, sidelined him. He was arguably the best closer in baseball in 2019 when he locked up 41 saves with a 1.19 ERA in San Diego. The closer job appears to be his to lose in Toronto if the he passes his physical.