Joe Kelly realizes it’s a numbers game.
The Boston Red Sox have five starters — Kelly, Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley and Eduardo Rodriguez — vying for four spots in the rotation behind newly signed ace David Price. Someone from the group could be traded, perhaps as early as this week at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn., and Kelly is taking the situation in stride.
“I haven’t put too much thought into it. Whatever happens is going to happen,” Kelly told WEEI.com. “I haven’t really checked up on anything. But I’ll probably start checking my phone over the next week with the winter meetings. That’s always a possibility. We have six guys, and obviously Price isn’t going anywhere. It will be interesting to see what will happen. I’ll stay on my phone, that’s for sure.”
As of Monday afternoon, there was nothing to suggest Kelly was more likely to be traded than any of the Red Sox’s other starters. But Porcello probably isn’t going anywhere because of his contract, and Rodriguez likely is staying put, given that the Red Sox view him as a potential top-of-the-rotation starter. That leaves Kelly, Miley and Buchholz as possible trade candidates, though, again, it’s purely speculation rooted in the assumption that Boston would deal a starter to alleviate its logjam.
Kelly always has been an intriguing pitcher based on his raw ability, most notably a fastball that reaches the high 90s on the radar gun. The right-hander just hasn’t been consistent, making it difficult to pinpoint whether he’s closer to being the pitcher who was demoted last June or the one who went 8-0 with a 2.59 ERA during an eight-start stretch in August/September.
Nevertheless, Kelly will keep a watchful eye on this week’s happenings, especially with a report surfacing Monday stating that the Texas Rangers are interested in the 27-year-old.
UPDATE (2:25 p.m. ET): One major league source familiar with the situation told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford that it seems unlikely the Red Sox are motivated to trade Joe Kelly.
UPDATE (3:15 p.m. ET): Wade Miley reportedly is the odd man out, as the Red Sox traded the left-hander to the Seattle Mariners, according to multiple reports.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
