Kirby Yates

Yates blew his first save of the week Wednesday when Hao-Yu Lee hit a two-run double in the ninth inning vs. the Athletics. He rebounded with a scoreless outing Thursday but the blown save puts his hold on the Angels' closer role under real scrutiny. Ryan Zeferjahn is the only other LAA pitcher with a save in 2026, and Ben Joyce (shoulder) hasn't debuted yet. Yates is still the preferred option, but another miscue opens a genuine committee. Hold in 12-team leagues; watch carefully in 14-team-plus.

Picked up his first save since July 2025 — the 99th of his career. The 4.26 ERA masks a 2.80 SIERA, but contact-quality concerns persist. The Angels are winning more games (Soriano, Detmers leading the way), so save chances should pile up. Speculative add in deeper formats.

Blew a save Thursday and the velocity charts are flashing red — his fastball is down notably from his career norm. The Angels' manager still expresses trust, but the metrics warrant real caution. Fade in standard formats; the ninth-inning role is genuinely up for grabs.