Detroit – In a poignant moment for baseball fans, veteran right‑hander Kirby Yates hung up his cleats after making his first start on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 39‑year‑old, a two‑time All‑Star who entered the majors as an undrafted junior‑college player, pitched 1 2/3 innings before shaking hands with teammates and umpire Laz Diaz.
Final appearance shared with a fellow veteran
Yates’ start was opposite Detroit Tigers right‑hander Justin Verlander, who also made his final regular‑season appearance in the same game. This marked only the third time in MLB history that two starting pitchers have closed out their careers together after at least 12 seasons, joining Hall of Famers Christy Mathewson and Mordecai Brown (1916) and Paul Derringer and Vern Kennedy (1945).
Career highlights
Yates logged his 518th major‑league appearance, a career that spanned the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers and finally the Pirates. He led the majors with 41 saves for San Diego in 2019 and finished his career with a 32‑29 record, 101 saves and three saves this season for the Angels. He earned All‑Star honors in 2019 with the Padres and again in 2024 with Texas, and received a World Series ring as part of the Dodgers’ championship celebration despite not being on the postseason roster.
Personal background and decision to retire
Born in Hawaii and a graduate of a local high school, Yates was drafted in the 26th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2005 but chose not to sign. After going undrafted out of Yavapai College in Arizona, he signed with Tampa Bay in 2009, launching a durable relief career.
Despite posting a solid 3.19 ERA over 46 outings this season, Yates said he felt it was time to step away, noting, “I don’t have anything left, let’s put it that way. I’ve been running on fumes here for a while.” He added, “This is it… it was a great, awesome day. Seeing emotions on both sides is something you don’t forget.”
Kirby Yates leaves the game as a respected veteran who exemplified perseverance and professionalism, qualities that resonate with families and faith‑centered communities across the nation.
Original reporting: Herald-Standard – latest news for Uniontown, Pennsylvania — read the source article.
