The Dodgers are reportedly close to reaching agreement on a contract with Yates, who led the majors with 41 saves in 2019 and made the All-Star team with the Rangers last year.

The Rangers have a closer problem, and their 2024 solution won’t work in 2025. Kirby Yates has now signed with the Dodgers, leaving Texas still in need of a 9th-inning option.

The Dodgers had already added a plethora of pieces to their championship squad and established themselves as super-team villains — in part by convincing players to agree to deferred money in their contracts, a trend popularized last year by Shohei Ohtani, whose $700 million contract includes $680 million in deferrals.