Yates was designated for assignment Tuesday, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com reports.
With the Indians making their signing of Mike Napoli official Tuesday, the team cleared a spot on the 40-man roster by designating Yates for assignment. Yates, who was acquired from the Rays in November, has made 57 major league relief appearances over the past two seasons. The splits between those two campaigns are dramatic, as he posted a 7.97 ERA in 20 outings last year after notching a 3.75 mark the previous season.