Dodgers signed the Inland Empire native to a 3-year deal in 2019, traded for him in 2023, and re-signed him in 2024. Now 37, Kelly said in June LA was the only team he’d consider returning to.
Considering there is still a mural of him up on the reserve level in left field at Dodger Stadium, it was only a matter of time before Joe Kelly found his way back to the Dodgers.
The team is bringing in the 37-year-old right-hander for a workout, per Robert Murray of Fansided.
In June on Foul Territory, the Inland Empire native Kelly said, “If I come back healthy, I’m only playing for one team, and that’s the Dodgers.”
The Dodgers have acquired Kelly three different times. They signed him to a three-year contract before the 2019 season, traded for him at the deadline in 2023, then re-signed him for 2024. Bringing in Kelly at some point soon would be a hedge against the exorbitant prices of adding pitchers at the trade deadline, which is this coming Thursday.
“My goal is to do everything we can right now, to not buy in July,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in December. “It’s a terrible time to acquire talent.”
But the Dodgers also need fortifications for a bullpen that lost Tanner Scott to an elbow injury this week and will be without Michael Kopech for at least another month after meniscus surgery.
During Kelly’s intermittent time with the Dodgers, he’s been mostly good when healthy, but staying on the mound has been a challenge. Since getting acquired at the 2023 deadline, Kelly has been on the injured list with forearm inflammation, a shoulder strain, and shoulder inflammation.
In 2024, Kelly lost 77 games to two separate injured-list stints, and a shoulder injury sidelined him for all of October. When healthy during the season, the right-hander had a 4.78 ERA and 5.11 xERA in 35 games, with 35 strikeouts and 15 unintentional walks in 32 innings. His 24.5-percent strikeout rate was his lowest since 2020.