Pirates’ Kirby Yates announces retirement; ‘Completely at peace with it’

This article originally appeared on PGHBaseballNOW.

Kirby Yates is calling it a career. The 39-year-old confirmed after Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park that the 2026 season will be his last.

“I don’t have anything left. Let’s put it that way,” Yates said after the game. “I’ve been running on fumes for a while, and I think it’s just time, and it’s felt like it’s been time for a little while now.”

Yates made his first career start in the loss after the first 517 appearances of his career had all come in relief. He became the first Pirate in the Modern Era (since 1901) to make the first start of his career after that many relief appearances.

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