Joe Kelly and the Boston Red Sox on Friday agreed to terms on a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, allowing the two sides to avoid salary arbitration.
Kelly initially struggled after joining the Red Sox at the 2014 trade deadline but surged in the second half of last season. The right-hander won eight consecutive starts from Aug. 1 to Sept. 7, allowing two or fewer runs in each of the final seven.
That streak came after Kelly earned just two wins in his first 16 starts of 2015 and spent nearly a month in the minors with Triple-A Pawtucket. In all, he posted a 10-6 record with a 4.82 ERA in 25 starts before being shut down for the season in mid-September.
The team did not disclose the details of Kelly’s contract, but WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford reported, citing a major league source, that it is worth $2.6 million. The 27-year-old made $603,000 last season.
Left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. and right-hander Junichi Tazawa are Boston’s only arbitration-eligible players who have yet to re-sign with the team.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
