Joe Kelly may be nearing a reunion with the Los Angeles Dodgers — assuming he still has some fight left in him.
The former Boston Red Sox reliever is expected to throw for the Dodgers in the coming days, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. The 37-year-old has not pitched this season but has made clear he hopes to return and that he only wants to do so with the defending World Series champions.
Kelly’s original time with the Dodgers came in two chapters, the first running from 2019 through 2021. Over that span, he logged 105 ⅓ innings and posted a 3.59 ERA while carving out a key role in the bullpen.
His second run, which began after the 2023 trade deadline, was less stable. He appeared in just 10 games that season due to forearm inflammation, then missed chunks of 2024 with shoulder trouble. He wrapped last year with 32 innings pitched and a 4.78 ERA and has not pitched since.
Now nearing 40, Kelly faces obvious questions about durability and workload. But with the Dodgers eyeing bullpen depth before the trade deadline, he offers a familiar option who could make a positive impact. If Los Angeles brings him aboard, Kelly would likely start off on a minor league assignment while building back up to game shape.
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In Boston, of course, Kelly will always be remembered as a fan favorite. In April 2018, he drilled New York Yankees infielder Tyler Austin in retaliation for a hard slide into Brock Holt — and then invited him to the mound for a scrap.
What followed was one of the decade’s most talked-about baseball brawls — and sparked a wave of “Joe Kelly Fight Club” gear made by fans. A six-game suspension and a fat lip for Austin only added to the legend.
Kelly is not done writing his story just yet. But even if this comeback falls short, his place in Red Sox history is already secure.
