Kirby Yates Returns to Angels Bullpen After Five-Plus Weeks

kirby yates is back on the Angels’ roster after missing the first five-plus weeks of the season with left knee inflammation. The Angels reinstated the veteran right-hander from the 15-day injured list Tuesday, giving their bullpen another late-inning option.

Kirby Yates and the Angels

Yates completed a four-outing rehab assignment before the move. He allowed seven runs in his first three rehab appearances, then finished with a scoreless frame in his final outing, a sharper line than the one he opened with on the way back.

The return matters because he should be in the mix at closer. That gives the Angels a clear bullpen decision after Jordan Romano was cut loose in late April, and it puts Yates into a spot where his next outing will say more than any rehab line did.

Left Knee Inflammation

His absence stretched through the first five-plus weeks of the season, all because of left knee inflammation. The rehab work showed the full range of that recovery: three shaky outings, then one clean frame, then a roster move that put him back in the major league bullpen.

For the Angels, the timing is straightforward. They get a veteran right-hander back, and they have to decide how quickly to use him in a closer mix that opened up after Romano’s departure in late April. Yates’ first leverage spot will show whether the final rehab outing was the finish line or just the last step.