When Joe Kelly returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023 after spending a year with the Chicago White Sox (2022-2023), his fandom gave him a warm welcome. Given his previous stint with the Dodgers, manager Dave Roberts asserted, “Joe just adds another person that we feel confident can finish a game for us.” But considering Kelly’s injury and the fact that the 36-year-old is still a free agent, many Dodgers’ fans are still pondering over what the future holds for the pitcher. Well, the athlete has clarity on what his fans can expect in the upcoming 2025 season.

On January 8, when Bleed Los Correspondent Alysha Del Valle asked him what would happen if the Dodgers didn’t re-sign him, Kelly calmly put forth his thoughts. Hear it from the man himself. He stated:

“I would blame it on the shoulder. If I had to play anywhere else, I wouldn’t play,” Kelly said, emphasizing his deep connection to the Dodgers organization and Los Angeles.

He further elaborated, “I am content all around. We have a good relationship. Like I said, once I am healthy, it’s kinda like Clayton’s deal, there is only one spot we will come back to. It’s either that or you know, if my body doesn’t heel as well as it wants to, then you never know. So we’ll see.”

During the team’s World Series victory parade, he proudly declared himself a “Dodger for life.” Surely, he loves the team. However, injuries have made things tough for him. For instance, he was limited to thirty-five games and thirty-two innings for the Dodgers this season because of recurring shoulder problems. His right posterior problem put him on the injured list for more than two months.

As a result, despite being a huge part of the Dodgers, Kelly was unable to throw any pitch during the team’s historic World Series-winning playoff run.

Top Comment by Stu freeman

I’m a big fan and don’t want to see Kershaw on any team but the Dodgers. However, if he goes...more

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Debate

The athlete has been on the injury list on ten separate occasions over the last five seasons. It has been because of a variety of issues like a shoulder injury, elbow inflammation, or nerve problems in his bicep issues, and also groin strain and hamstring strain. Despite these challenges, Kelly remains hopeful, maintaining that his ability to contribute to the team will depend on the recovery of his body.

How the Dodgers’ pitching staff is shaping up right now

One of the core themes of the Dodgers’ recent years has been their pitching staff’s health struggles. 2024 was no different. Apart from Joe Kelly, there was Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, and others who joined the injured list. In fact, there was a time when the Blue Crew’s injured list could very well create a starting lineup for a major league baseball team.

However, that also shows the huge depth that the team currently enjoys and perhaps is the reason why, despite Kelly’s wish, his deal hasn’t been finalized yet.

While Shohei Ohtani is already slated to return to pitching, the Dodgers have strengthened their core by adding the 2x Cy Young winner Blake Snell to the lineup. While they may have added Snell, the team did lose their World Series hero Walker Buehler to the Boston Red Sox.

But the team’s pitching staff looks scarier with the likes of Snell (3.12 ERA), Yoshinobu Yamamoto (3.00 ERA), Glasnow (3.49 ERA), and Bobby Miller (who rather struggled in 2024) in the mix. Add to that Kershaw’s possible return after a big toe injury and the Dodgers’s pitching staff is starting to look rather formidable.

But that doesn’t mean that there is no place for Kelly. At 36, he’s winding down his numbers. Still, as Kelly noted during his appearance on ‘Baseball Isn’t Boring’ podcast, he was expecting to start World Series game 6. That shows that the team might still choose him and that is enough to give him hopes of a longer LA stay. But will he get it?