Yates struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Saturday's 5-2 win over the Rangers.
Yates was the early favorite for saves, but a knee injury kept him out until early May. The right-hander was eased back into action in low-leverage spots, and the Angels' overall poor performance has led to limited opportunities to close. Yates squandered his first chance at a save Wednesday versus the Athletics, but he bounced back with a scoreless outing and Thursday before getting the save Saturday. He's pitched to a 4.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9:3 K:BB through 6.1 innings this season. Ryan Zeferjahn is the only other pitcher on the roster to have a save for the Angels in 2026 -- Jordan Romano had four before he was designated for assignment in late April. Yates is likely the lead candidate for saves moving forward thanks to his past experience as a closer, though he could face increased competition once Ben Joyce (shoulder) is ready to make his season debut.