The Los Angeles Dodgers and relief pitcher Joe Kelly are reportedly nearing a contract, sources told Robert Murray of FanSided. Barring any setbacks in negotiations, it appears that Kelly will be returning to Los Angeles.
Kelly, 35, previously pitched for the Dodgers from 2019-2021. After leaving in 2022, Kelly was traded back to the Dodgers during the 2023 season.
After struggling to begin the season with the Chicago White Sox, Kelly turned things around after re-joining LA. He pitched to the tune of a 1.74 ERA across 10.1 innings for the Dodgers. Los Angeles clearly liked what they saw and are seemingly planning to keep Kelly in their bullpen for the 2024 campaign.
Dodgers' bullpen
The Dodgers need to address their starting pitching. Adding another bat or two wouldn't hurt either. Los Angeles' bullpen is in an interesting spot.
Adding bullpen depth is never a bad idea. All things considered though, the Dodgers bullpen is a strength at the moment. Closer Evan Phillips currently leads the way, while other key bullpen arms such as Brusdar Graterol and Caleb Ferguson have pitched well for the most part.
It would not be surprising to see the Dodgers continue to try to improve the bullpen, however. LA has never been shy about bringing in relief help even when the bullpen is already performing well.
The move to re-sign Kelly makes a lot of sense. He is a versatile reliever, meaning he can find success in just about any inning out of the bullpen. Kelly features a blazing fastball to go along with good enough breaking stuff.
Having a pitcher like Kelly available makes managing the bullpen much easier for teams. Dodgers fans can expect Kelly to play a big role once again for Los Angeles in 2024 as they look to rebound following back-to-back disappointing postseason exits.
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