Report: Reunion between Padres, Yates still possible

The San Diego Padres have been one of MLB's most active teams this offseason, and they might not be finished yet.

A reunion with right-hander Kirby Yates remains a possibility, sources told MLB.com's AJ Cassavell.

There is competition for Yates, who is likely looking for an incentive-laden deal that earns him upward of $5 million, sources told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Yates posted an ugly 12.46 ERA in six appearances for the Padres in 2020 before the team shut him down due to issues with his right elbow. He underwent season-ending surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow in August and is expected to be ready for spring training.

The 33-year-old native of Hawaii was one of baseball's most dominant relievers prior to 2020, authoring a 1.19 ERA and an MLB-leading 41 saves in 2019.

The Padres' bullpen ranked 14th in the majors in ERA last season, but Drew Pomeranz, Pierce Johnson, and Matt Strahm all enjoyed solid campaigns, as did trade-deadline acquisition and current free agent Trevor Rosenthal.