The Rangers started their long-awaited rebuild of their bullpen yesterday by signing free agent Kirby Yates. It was a bullpen that blew more saves than it converted, yet somehow held on through the playoffs, thanks to Jose Leclerc and Josh Sborz.

But the Rangers cannot go through an entire season with two relievers.

Yates used to be one of the top closers in baseball. In fact, in 2019, he led all of baseball with 41 saves when he was with San Diego. That year, he posted a 1.19 ERA. He was brilliant the entire season. Then, he got injured in 2020, sat out all of 2021 and most of 2022. Last year, with Atlanta, he appeared in 61 games, mostly as a middle reliever, but did pick up five saves as he tried to work himself back into his 2019 form after missing essentially three seasons.

The Rangers will be his sixth major league team in his nine major league seasons. Yates, a highhanded pitcher, will be 37 when the season starts.

He’s not THE answer to the bullpen. But he is a good arm to have there, and a good start to rebuilding a bullpen that is badly in need of an overhaul.