Former Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly returns with Dodgers
By Bill Koch / @BillKoch25
Joe Kelly's offseason brought with it free agency, and the three-year, $25-million deal he inked with Los Angeles took him home.
BOSTON – This is the good version of Joe Kelly visiting Fenway Park this weekend with the Dodgers.
Red Sox fans will remember the up and down nature of the right-handed reliever, a 2018 postseason hero who spent Opening Day and the three months prior to October as one of the club's villains. Kelly's inconsistent performance during his final season with Boston finished on the ultimate high, as he helped the club to its fourth World Series title this century.
Kelly's offseason brought with it free agency, and the three-year, $25-million deal he inked with Los Angeles took him home. Kelly is a Corona native, a small pocket set between two state parks and a nature preserve southeast of the city. His daily drive to Dodger Stadium takes about 45 minutes, but he still feels quite comfortable in this place 2,500 miles away.
"To be able to come back, this is the team I played most of my career for," Kelly said. "It's been fun. It's great memories. Now we've both got to strap it on. We're both playing good baseball."
Kelly might miss his old neighborhood most. He lived in Squantum, a small barrier island just off Quincy where his young son, Knox, had free reign to roam the streets. Kelly now lives in his California home for all but the few weeks of spring training where the Dodgers move to their Phoenix headquarters.
"I could let Knox go outside until 9 o'clock at night and the neighborhood kind of watches over your kids – that old school vibe," Kelly said. "All the kids are outside and not playing video games, so it's pretty fun to see. It's one of the biggest things I miss."
Kelly was in the opposing dugout for the 2013 Fall Classic with the Cardinals, and he found some recent renovations to the visiting clubhouse to be quite welcoming. Updated dining areas, locker room space and showers are among those features greeting opponents in 2019. Kelly spent parts of five seasons on the home side after the 2014 trade that brought him and infielder Allen Craig to Boston for pitchers John Lackey and Corey Littrell.
"Warming up I'll probably get some cheers," Kelly said. "Maybe come in the game and get some cheers. It's something that I'll enjoy for sure. Take a deep breath and let it all soak in. Then once I get on the mound it's all business from there."
Kelly blew a four-run lead on Opening Day against the Rays and bounced back by posting a 0.35 earned-run average over his next 24 games. He endured 48 difficult games between June 1 and the end of the season, hit hard for a 6.13 ERA, and then allowed just one earned run in nine postseason appearances. Kelly was dominant over 11 1/3 innings, including five scoreless outings against the Dodgers.
"Last time I was able to face (the Red Sox) was spring training and live (batting practice)," Kelly said. "Some of them got me and I got some of them."
Kelly has been on a bit of a rollercoaster with Los Angeles thus far. He was pounded over his first six appearances to the tune of 10 earned runs and a 12.27 ERA. Kelly has allowed just two earned runs in his last 17 appearances, pitching to a 1.56 ERA.
"It's going to be fun to match up with them when I'm at my best," Kelly said. "Try not to let the emotions overwhelm me and go out there and just play the game of baseball."
Bill Koch writes for the Providence Journal of GateHouse Media.