Braves pick up former All-Star Kirby Yates for bullpen - MLB

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves bolstered their World Series-winning bullpen by signing right-hander Kirby Yates to a two-year, $8.25 million deal.

Yates led the majors with 41 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2019. He didn’t pitch this past season for the Toronto Blue Jays because of undergoing his second Tommy John surgery of his career on March 24.

Yates will make $1 million next season, and his salary bumps to $6 million in 2023. The deal also includes a $5.75 million club option for 2024 that comes with a $1.25 million buyout.

The 34-year-old Yates was an All-Star and finished ninth in the NL Cy Young voting in 2019, when he posted a 1.19 ERA with 101 strikeouts in 60 games.

He pitched only six games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, posting a 12.46 ERA before being shelved with an ailing arm. He signed with the Blue Jays but never pitched for Toronto because of the elbow procedure.

Yates has also pitched with Tampa Bay, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angeles over his seven-year big-league career.

Yates joins a highly effective bullpen that was a big reason for the Braves” surprising run to a championship. Closer Will Smith returns, along with Tyler Matzek, A.J. Minter and Luke Jackson.

In another move to add depth to their relieving corps, the Braves agreed to a minor-league deal with 39-year-old right-hander Darren O'Day, who was highly effective in a previous stint with the Braves but has battled injuries.

This past season, he pitched in 12 games with a 3.38 ERA for the New York Yankees.

The Braves also announced that right-hander Yoan Lopez was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. Lopez was acquired last May from Arizona but spent the rest of the season at Atlanta’s Triple-A club in Gwinnett.

WASHINGTON (AP) Lane Thomas singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals sent the Philadelphia Phillies to their fifth straight loss, winning 8-7 after blowing a six-run lead.

The defending NL champion Phillies have just five victories in their last 18 games and are tied with the Nationals at the bottom of the NL East at 25-32.

“We’ve got to overcome it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “We’ve got to play better, get consistent in all phases and keep moving forward.”

Alex Call drew a two-out walk against Connor Brogdon (2-1) in the eighth, stole second on a low pitch that catcher JT Realmuto couldn’t make a throw on and scored on Thomas’ single to right center.

“The way Lane’s swinging the bat, if you can get on second base, we can win the game,” Call said. “I look over and the ball’s in the dirt, he doesn’t catch it. Now I’m saying: ‘All right, Lane. Come on!’”

Kyle Finnegan (3-2) pitched 1 2/3 innings for the victory, stranding the tying run on second in the ninth.

Nick Castellanos homered twice, singled, doubled and drove in five runs for Philadelphia, which had scored just three runs in its past three games.

“There’s definitely a lot of positives as a group,” Castellanos said. “Showing some fight. It would have been really, really easy to lay down and allow the way the game started to be the way that it finished.”

Down 7-1 after four innings, Philadelphia tied it at 7 in the eighth. Brandon Marsh worked a nine-pitch walk against Mason Thompson leading off, and Drew Ellis singled with one out. Finnegan came on to face Kyle Schwarber, who hit a ground ball up the middle. Shortstop CJ Abrams fielded it behind it behind second base, touched second for one out, but threw wildly to first and Marsh came home with the tying run.

Castellanos’s second homer, a two-run shot to center in the sixth, pulled the Phillies to 7-3 and Marsh added an RBI single in the inning.

In the seventh, Schwarber doubled with one out and Bryson Scott reached on an infield single. Hunter Harvey came on and walked Bryce Harper to load the bases. Castellanos singled to center scoring two runs to make it 7-6.

Luis Garcia homered and Jeimer Candelario doubled twice and drove in three runs for the Nationals, who have won seven of 12.

Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler, coming off eight shutout innings against Atlanta, allowed seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

“This one’s on me really,” Wheeler said. “Guys battled back. Just couldn’t finish it out. We know who we have in this room and what we’ve got to do.”

Josiah Gray gave up four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings for Washington.

Candelario doubled just beyond the reach of left fielder Schwarber to drive in the first of Washington’s two runs in the first.

In the second, Abrams hit a one-out drive to deep center that Marsh misplayed into a double. With two outs and two on, Candelario doubled off the wall in right center to make it 5-0.

Garcia ended Wheeler’s night with a solo homer in the fourth.

“When you come out the way we did, you’ve got to tack on,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “It didn’t happen tonight, but we got one more than the other guys.”

CANDY MAN

Candelario is 9 for 26 (.346) with four doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, five walks, and seven runs scored in his last seven games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Phillies: Thomson said RHP Taijuan Walker played catch Friday and there are “no worries about his next start.” In a four-inning outing against the Mets on Thursday, Walker’s sinker velocity averaged 90.6 mph, down from 92.7 mph for the season. His fastball, splitter and curveball velocity also dropped.

Nationals: OF Victor Robles (back spasms) took batting practice on the field for the first time since going on the injured list. … LHP Sean Doolittle (elbow) gave up a run on two hits and struck out two batters in 2/3 of an inning working his second straight night for Class A Fredericksburg.

UP NEXT

Phillies: LHP Matt Strahm (4-3, 3.20) will start a bullpen game on Saturday.

Nationals: LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 3.57) went seven innings and struck out a career-high 11 batters in his previous outing – a no decision against the Royals.

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