WEBVTT - Kirby Yates (6-7-26) 

0:00:00.360 --> 0:00:04.840
<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.

0:00:06.760 --> 0:00:08.840
<v Speaker 2>Well, we're joined right now by a guy that was

0:00:09.000 --> 0:00:12.799
<v Speaker 2>a very special part of last year's World Series team,

0:00:12.840 --> 0:00:17.280
<v Speaker 2>a teammate that was beloved by everybody in that clubhouse.

0:00:17.520 --> 0:00:20.240
<v Speaker 2>And when the Dodgers were in Anaheim, they presented Kirby

0:00:20.320 --> 0:00:23.439
<v Speaker 2>Yates with this twenty twenty five World Series ring with

0:00:23.560 --> 0:00:27.920
<v Speaker 2>his walkout music the boombox. The entire team came to

0:00:27.960 --> 0:00:31.280
<v Speaker 2>celebrate a guy that wasn't on the postseason roster, and

0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:33.519
<v Speaker 2>Kirby h joins us right now. He is part of

0:00:33.560 --> 0:00:38.600
<v Speaker 2>the Halo's bullpen. Great to see you and same style glasses,

0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:40.680
<v Speaker 2>but different color, different.

0:00:40.320 --> 0:00:44.199
<v Speaker 1>Color, different color. Yeah, thanks for having me. You know,

0:00:44.240 --> 0:00:46.520
<v Speaker 1>a special special moment for me. Is very neat to say,

0:00:46.640 --> 0:00:49.360
<v Speaker 1>all those guys come and do that for me. Yeah,

0:00:49.400 --> 0:00:51.680
<v Speaker 1>I'm meant a lot, and you know something I won't

0:00:51.720 --> 0:00:56.800
<v Speaker 1>forget and just you know, unbelievable memories that I generated

0:00:56.800 --> 0:00:58.480
<v Speaker 1>here in one year. That's awesome.

0:00:58.680 --> 0:01:02.880
<v Speaker 2>How unexpected was to have that type of celebration of

0:01:02.960 --> 0:01:05.960
<v Speaker 2>you in Anaheim when the team gave you the ring?

0:01:06.400 --> 0:01:08.400
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I you know, I didn't know who would show

0:01:08.480 --> 0:01:10.440
<v Speaker 1>up or who was good do it. You know, I

0:01:10.440 --> 0:01:12.440
<v Speaker 1>figured it'd be a couple of bullpen guys just because

0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:14.919
<v Speaker 1>you know, our homies. But you know, I got along

0:01:14.920 --> 0:01:16.839
<v Speaker 1>with a lot of guys in that clubhouse. I made

0:01:17.520 --> 0:01:20.399
<v Speaker 1>a tremendous amount of friendships and relationships that I feel

0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:22.760
<v Speaker 1>are gonna last for a while. And you know, it

0:01:22.880 --> 0:01:26.240
<v Speaker 1>was I it was such a fun year. You know,

0:01:26.280 --> 0:01:29.480
<v Speaker 1>I hadn't pitch grade at all for you know, second

0:01:29.560 --> 0:01:31.520
<v Speaker 1>half of the year or whatever you want to call it, after.

0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:31.960
<v Speaker 2>I got hurt.

0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:35.640
<v Speaker 1>But and that was really tough for me. But you know,

0:01:35.680 --> 0:01:38.039
<v Speaker 1>I'm thankful for those guys because you know, they made

0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:40.080
<v Speaker 1>it fun every day coming in the field anyway, and

0:01:40.560 --> 0:01:42.280
<v Speaker 1>you know, we wanted to want a ring and that

0:01:42.400 --> 0:01:44.840
<v Speaker 1>was you know, it's it's why I went came to

0:01:44.959 --> 0:01:46.920
<v Speaker 1>La is why I came to the Dodgers to win

0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:49.840
<v Speaker 1>a ring. And we did that and just you know,

0:01:49.960 --> 0:01:52.120
<v Speaker 1>super proud of those guys. And something I'll never forget.

0:01:52.440 --> 0:01:55.320
<v Speaker 2>Kirby, what can you tell us about the postseason the

0:01:55.360 --> 0:01:59.480
<v Speaker 2>workout days, because my understanding is that's where the greatest

0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:03.800
<v Speaker 2>appreciate of you throwing on those workout days to hitters

0:02:03.800 --> 0:02:06.960
<v Speaker 2>to keep them sharp. Really came from. Can you explain

0:02:07.000 --> 0:02:10.000
<v Speaker 2>to us what was taking place and why you decided

0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:11.960
<v Speaker 2>to be that guy for the team.

0:02:12.200 --> 0:02:13.840
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean it was part of me too, right.

0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:16.240
<v Speaker 1>I was trying to get healthier and see where I

0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:18.320
<v Speaker 1>was at, see if I could contribute in any way,

0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:22.000
<v Speaker 1>and so I was trying to throw and do it

0:02:22.040 --> 0:02:24.560
<v Speaker 1>for me too, to see what I was capable of.

0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:28.640
<v Speaker 1>And you know, if I'm getting healthier, if I'm feeling better,

0:02:28.800 --> 0:02:31.200
<v Speaker 1>just all of that. But you know, I wanted to

0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:33.400
<v Speaker 1>help them as much as I can. I didn't want

0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:35.800
<v Speaker 1>to be a distraction. I didn't want to be, you know,

0:02:35.840 --> 0:02:37.799
<v Speaker 1>a guy that people were talking about in a bad

0:02:37.800 --> 0:02:39.960
<v Speaker 1>way or a negative light or anything like that. You know,

0:02:40.040 --> 0:02:43.160
<v Speaker 1>I didn't want to do anything to get them out

0:02:43.160 --> 0:02:45.000
<v Speaker 1>of their routine. I tried to help them as much

0:02:45.040 --> 0:02:48.000
<v Speaker 1>as I could, just to if it took pressure off

0:02:48.040 --> 0:02:50.440
<v Speaker 1>them in any way, something I could do, something I

0:02:50.440 --> 0:02:53.880
<v Speaker 1>could say. Just tried to do anything I could to

0:02:53.919 --> 0:02:56.680
<v Speaker 1>help us in any shape or form. And that's kind

0:02:56.680 --> 0:02:57.840
<v Speaker 1>of just what it boiled down to.

0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:00.760
<v Speaker 2>What do you remember the most about Game seven, other

0:03:00.880 --> 0:03:04.400
<v Speaker 2>than the benches clearing a little brew haha that you

0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:05.160
<v Speaker 2>were involved in.

0:03:06.520 --> 0:03:11.080
<v Speaker 1>I just remember It was the absolute best roller coaster

0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:13.960
<v Speaker 1>ride I've ever been on, ups and downs. You know,

0:03:14.160 --> 0:03:19.160
<v Speaker 1>it was just I never had nerves. I wasn't. It

0:03:19.240 --> 0:03:21.200
<v Speaker 1>might have been worse that you're not playing, I don't know,

0:03:21.400 --> 0:03:25.000
<v Speaker 1>but because I had, I was so nervous the entire time.

0:03:25.440 --> 0:03:27.520
<v Speaker 1>And I mean it was surreal. Once the double player

0:03:27.600 --> 0:03:29.280
<v Speaker 1>was hit at the end and Freddie caught the ball,

0:03:29.320 --> 0:03:31.760
<v Speaker 1>I mean it was, you know, just joy. I couldn't

0:03:31.760 --> 0:03:35.440
<v Speaker 1>stop crying for a while, a lot. I shed a

0:03:35.440 --> 0:03:38.200
<v Speaker 1>lot of tears and just you know, just a surreal

0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:41.080
<v Speaker 1>moment and just like a proud moment for everybody. And

0:03:41.240 --> 0:03:43.600
<v Speaker 1>you know, I couldn't believe that, you know, I could

0:03:43.600 --> 0:03:45.000
<v Speaker 1>call yourself a World Series champ.

0:03:45.400 --> 0:03:47.560
<v Speaker 2>That's what Kirby Yates is. And he was a big

0:03:47.600 --> 0:03:50.080
<v Speaker 2>part of it as far as being a great teammate

0:03:50.200 --> 0:03:55.520
<v Speaker 2>and obviously contributing in his way now Game seven, obviously

0:03:55.560 --> 0:03:58.400
<v Speaker 2>the Rojas home run, I was trying to spot you

0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:01.320
<v Speaker 2>where you were? Where were you when Ohas hit the

0:04:01.320 --> 0:04:01.840
<v Speaker 2>home run.

0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:05.120
<v Speaker 1>I was probably right next Toican Pordo. I think we

0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:11.320
<v Speaker 1>jumped the rail, you know, unbelievable moment and you know,

0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:13.320
<v Speaker 1>waiting for him the top step of the dugout and

0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:16.400
<v Speaker 1>just you know, pumped for me that essentially, you know,

0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:20.240
<v Speaker 1>just to Meggie did it just like it was so

0:04:20.480 --> 0:04:24.920
<v Speaker 1>fitting and so good for us. Just such a crazy,

0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:28.479
<v Speaker 1>crazy moment too, just like one of that's the roller

0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:32.040
<v Speaker 1>coaster I'm talking about, just the roller coaster emotions. But yeah,

0:04:32.160 --> 0:04:34.960
<v Speaker 1>top step hopped over the rail, went over, you know,

0:04:35.440 --> 0:04:38.240
<v Speaker 1>probably hit him in the head a couple of times. Excitement,

0:04:38.360 --> 0:04:40.640
<v Speaker 1>but you know, so cool.

0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:42.880
<v Speaker 2>All right, Kirby eats before I let you go. Now

0:04:42.880 --> 0:04:45.880
<v Speaker 2>that you've got the ring, how many times have you

0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:48.719
<v Speaker 2>tried it on? How many times did you look at it?

0:04:48.760 --> 0:04:51.760
<v Speaker 2>The day you got it? In Anaheim, I was so nervous.

0:04:51.440 --> 0:04:52.880
<v Speaker 1>When I got it that I put it right into

0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:56.240
<v Speaker 1>a safe And then finally my family came over the

0:04:56.320 --> 0:04:59.440
<v Speaker 1>last couple of days, so you know, I showed them

0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:03.000
<v Speaker 1>and uh, you know, it was cool to share that

0:05:03.120 --> 0:05:05.800
<v Speaker 1>with them and have them see it and put it on.

0:05:06.480 --> 0:05:08.000
<v Speaker 1>You know, I got a niece and nephew that put

0:05:08.040 --> 0:05:10.400
<v Speaker 1>it on. They were like, wow, this is so cool.

0:05:10.400 --> 0:05:14.920
<v Speaker 1>It's so big and it's surreal. Hard to imagine that.

0:05:15.120 --> 0:05:17.240
<v Speaker 1>You know where I came from, what I did that.

0:05:17.440 --> 0:05:18.960
<v Speaker 1>You know, I have a world series ring, and I

0:05:19.080 --> 0:05:21.119
<v Speaker 1>always be proud of it, and I think it's very neat.

0:05:21.279 --> 0:05:23.919
<v Speaker 2>Whenever they had the reunion for the twenty twenty six

0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:28.159
<v Speaker 2>world champion Dodgers, Kirby Eights will be there. What will

0:05:28.200 --> 0:05:30.479
<v Speaker 2>be the one thing that you would want us to

0:05:30.560 --> 0:05:32.360
<v Speaker 2>remember about that team?

0:05:33.560 --> 0:05:41.159
<v Speaker 1>Ooh? You know, just the expectations and you know the

0:05:41.240 --> 0:05:43.240
<v Speaker 1>kind of the c saw of the season that you know,

0:05:44.400 --> 0:05:46.440
<v Speaker 1>in terms of what we were supposed to d be

0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:48.960
<v Speaker 1>and what we did, and you know how people were

0:05:49.040 --> 0:05:50.680
<v Speaker 1>kind of writing us off and all of that, and

0:05:50.800 --> 0:05:54.839
<v Speaker 1>yet we still finish in first. You know, that team

0:05:54.920 --> 0:05:57.400
<v Speaker 1>went through a lot last year. I don't think people

0:05:57.440 --> 0:06:00.560
<v Speaker 1>really realize how banged up the entire team was. Guys

0:06:00.560 --> 0:06:03.760
<v Speaker 1>were playing through things, and yeah, we still came out

0:06:03.760 --> 0:06:05.880
<v Speaker 1>on top, and I just think that was I meant,

0:06:06.000 --> 0:06:07.080
<v Speaker 1>it's an incredible team.

0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:09.000
<v Speaker 2>Do you think these guys can three pet?

0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:12.000
<v Speaker 1>Well, I'm on the other side, so I can't say,

0:06:12.360 --> 0:06:15.400
<v Speaker 1>but I think they have all tools, and you know,

0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:16.400
<v Speaker 1>I wouldn't put it passive.

0:06:16.600 --> 0:06:19.240
<v Speaker 2>Thanks a lot for the time, lovely living last year

0:06:19.560 --> 0:06:22.360
<v Speaker 2>with you and all those guys, and certainly you mean

0:06:22.400 --> 0:06:25.520
<v Speaker 2>a lot to all of us. So continued success, Stay healthy,

0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:28.359
<v Speaker 2>and watch out for your traveling secretary over here with

0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:29.760
<v Speaker 2>the halos Well