Blue Jays, Kirby Yates Nearing Deal

The Toronto Blue Jays are about to get a whole lot better, as they near a deal with free agent closer Kirby Yates. Rival teams in the division have taken steps back for salary cap reasons, so now's the perfect time for Toronto to strike.

Yates made only six appearances in the short 2020 season due to a season-ending bone chip in his elbow. Just a year prior though, the All-Star closer posted a league-leading 1.19 ERA, the kind of performance that Toronto hopes it's getting now.

If Kirby Yates can even be a shell of his 2019 self, that Blue Jays bullpen will be terrifying. They are already the seventh hardest-throwing pen in the game, so the addition of Kirby Yates could bring it all together.

How will they stack up?

Well, the Yankees are still rumored to be shopping for another big arm in their rotation, so that certainly would make this addition much less impactful. Regardless, the Jays grabbed a dominant closer who can almost assure them contention for that Wild Card spot come October.

The Blue Jays are young, talented, and finally spending. It's really too bad fans aren't expected to be there to see it.