After a long absence, reliever Joe Kelly has been activated from the injured list by the Los Angeles Dodgers just ahead of their series finale against the San Diego Padres Wednesday, the team announced via X (formerly Twitter).

“The Dodgers activated RHP Joe Kelly from the injured list and optioned RHP Kyle Hurt.”

A forearm issue in August had Kelly landing on the 15-day injured list. He was initially expected to return to active status in the big leagues by the end of August but apparently needed more time to get his body ready. Before getting activated, Kelly had bullpen sessions and a short rehab stint in the minors, which all looked good enough for Los Angeles.

The Dodgers re-acquired Kelly when they successfully traded for him from the Chicago White Sox last July. Los Angeles also got Lance Lynn via that transaction that had the Dodgers sending Nick Nastrini, Jordan Leasure, and Trayce Thompson to the South Siders.

In his most recent appearance on the mound, Kelly pitched a scoreless inning with a walk and two strikeouts in one inning of work during a 2-0 victory on the road over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 9. So far in the 2023 MLB season, the 35-year-old Kelly has a 4.41 ERA and 1.29 WHIP with a save and a 103 ERA+.

A member of two World Series-winning squads, Kelly will look to help Los Angeles have a strong finish to the 2023 season. The Dodgers are on their way to clinching another National League West title, as they are nurturing a double-digit lead atop the division with only five more series on their schedule after the clash with the Padres.