Right-hander Joe Kelly didn’t sign anywhere this offseason, despite expressing a desire to pitch this year. Per Robert Murray of FanSided, Kelly is going to throw for the Dodgers soon to see if that club is willing to give him a deal.
Kelly, 37, pitched for the Dodgers from 2019 to 2021 and then again from the 2023 deadline until the end of 2024. The first stint was more successful than the second one. From 2019 to 2021, Kelly had a 3.59 earned run average over 105 1/3 innings for the Dodgers. He struck out 26.9% of batters faced and got grounders at a 59.9% clip.
In 2023, he only tossed 10 1/3 innings for the Dodgers, spending some time on the injured list due to forearm inflammation. Last year, right shoulder injuries put him on the IL multiple times. He pitched 32 innings with a 4.78 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate and 47.1% ground ball rate. That shoulder prevented him from pitching in the postseason.
Though he wants to come back this year, it doesn’t appear as though he’s given himself a lot of bargaining leverage. He told Foul Territory last month that “If I come back healthy, I’m only playing for one team, and that’s the Dodgers.”
Since he hasn’t been signed, it doesn’t appear as though the Dodgers have been especially interested, though they may be more open to it now. They have recently placed Tanner Scott, Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips on the IL. Phillips had Tommy John surgery and is done for the year. Kopech had meniscus surgery and is going to be out a while. Scott seems to just have some elbow inflammation but he’s in the early days of his IL stint. Brusdar Graterol still hasn’t pitched this year after undergoing shoulder surgery last year. Blake Treinen just returned from a lengthy IL stint due to forearm tightness.
Those injuries have put the Dodgers in the market for bullpen upgrades ahead of this year’s deadline. Kelly wouldn’t be a sure thing due to his age, recent shoulder troubles and the fact that he hasn’t pitched this year. Even if he signed, he would likely be sent for a ramp-up period in the minors. He wouldn’t solve their bullpen issues and he won’t be the only move they make in that department, but you can never have too much pitching and he wants to play for them. He should be attainable for a low-cost deal, perhaps even a minor league pact.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
He’s one of the only guys I’ve seen that threw harder as he got older, his cardinals days he would be around 94 and then he started throwing 100 all the time with the dodgers
Verlander might be another one of those guys
Kinda like Jim Morris.
Is that Jack’s brother or Jim Morrison’s dad?
Kelly was mostly used as a starter in STL.
It was awesome to watch verlander be his own closer back in the day. Sat mid 90s then 8th inning comes and bam! 100
I’m going to throw for Joe Kelly.
You’re kidding right about Verlander….he’s getting lit up like a Roman Candle this year building on the same last year…..who cares what he throws….he’s getting hit, often and hard…..have you and your 4 friends ever watched baseball?
Did you just disrespect one of the most impressive pitchers in baseball’s history!!! So have you watched baseball?
@gobrave I assumed you meant Jack Morris and was messing with you for calling him Jim.
No his name is Jim Morris he was a first round pick and hurt his elbow. Then he became a science teacher/HS baseball coach. Then he learned he could throw 99. There is a great movie about it on Disney+ called The Rookie.
Also I wasn’t talking about Jack Morris their I was talking about JV sry I realized this is what you were getting at.
Understood, thanks for clarifying and the info! Will check out The Rookie
Is that something like “Eddie Cixotte threw for the White Sox”?
What a typical thing. A match made in heaven. A weasel little b*tch holding out to sign back up with d*ddy who can buy whoever they want and will be desperate enough to bring back the little whiny four-eyed baby.
A tale as old as time
How long ago did Joe Kelly **** the girl you wanted to go out with? Let it go, man.
I feel so sorry for the team you support. They must really suck for you to be so angry at a successful team.
Kelly has said multiple times even after last year he would only come back to the Dodgers. He is from SoCal and still lives there. He has made enough money doesn’t need to try and leverage more money or need to be away from home. Loyalty to his family
Time to break out the joe Kelly fight club t shirt. I have an extra one mickey!
The irony of that is that was a year Kelly helped beat the Dodgers
Manny Machado has entered the chat.
Dodgers are ruining baseball and here’s further proof! An unsigned pitcher that will only audition for the Dodgers? The entitlement from this franchise has no limits! /sarcasm
Acoss – I get where you are coming from but this is just guy looking for a job for a few months and is being selective about where he wants to go.
Broken is the sarcasm, this one.
-Yoda
Understand how yoda speaks, you don’t
Acoss is it? So a pitcher wants to play for a certain team and you blame the team?
Oh god not this again.
Andrew Friedman whispering, through tears, “I wish I knew how to quit you”
What haha if you need pitching you need pitching
Not a judgment of Kelly or the Dodgers, just funny how they keep finding each other
Oh I didnt take it that way lol, thought it was funny. Kelly has been good thought his career. Was surprised he didnt get a contract in the offseason. Watched him alot in 2013, he carried the Cardinals into the post season that year
It started with Joe Kelley finding Hanley Ramirez’ ribs first, but then they hooked up on a Craigs List random encounters ad
Oh the Craig’s list freak of the week?
If they would learn how to take better care of their toys they wouldn’t always have to keep asking mom to buy them more.
Joe Kelly made $60 million in his career. I don’t think he’s worried about maxing out his earning potential with the Dodgers. He probably just wants a third World Series ring.
These deadline moves are dominated by Cardinals and former Cardinals.
They definitely have been
Please no. Just no.
In related news, The Atlanta Braves sign Jesse Chavez.
Kelly is a PAB.
Pulmonary Artery Banding? Nurse, 5 cc’s of Propofal for discordant ventriculoarterial connection, stat!
Personnel Automation Branch?
It only feels like he’s a robot. In reality, he’s a robot.
BREAKING NEWS. Joe Kelly throwing a bullpen session and the Dodgers will watch as a courtesy.
Via a Ring camera…
That made me laugh out loud.
Where’s Lindy McDaniel when you need him ??
Desperate times call for desperate measures….
Man, I hope the times aren’t that desperate.
60 Earned runs over is last 108 innings. Kelly is probably cooked but honestly wouldn’t cost the Dodgers much anyway. Probably won’t be ready til September if they did sign him so he would just be depth
Would it upset the rest of the league if the Dodgers acquired Jose Ramirez for Dalton Rushing, Bobby Miller, and Esteury Ruiz?
Dodgers kryptonite lately is facing pitchers with an ERA over 5.00.
Breaking news: Joe Kelly signs with the Dodgers and in 2 weeks is on the disabled list because the dodgers don’t know how to manage their pitchers.
Astro cheater
If Kelly allows another extra-inning grand slam to the Dodgers’ opponent in a winner-take-all postseason game, Dodger fans might react even more harshly than they did after the 2019 NLDS.
This clown needs to retire.