Joe Kelly is the freshman hanging out with the older kids. You could say he’s the Mitch Kramer of the Boston Red Sox.
As the Red Sox’s other up-and-coming starting pitchers fail to make an impact, Kelly continues to show why he’s an important part of Boston’s 2015 plans. It’s easy to forget that Kelly isn’t much older than Boston’s other young pitchers — he turned 26 in June — and only has 77 career regular-season appearances (47 starts) under his belt.
“There’s a real competitiveness that comes out of him,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said after Sunday’s win. “Last out he recorded over in Kansas City against (Omar) Infante. Today, after it looked like we turned a double play and we didn’t get it, he settles right back in and gets the next hitter out. He’s able to rise to the moment and execute quality pitches.”
Kelly allowed two earned runs on three hits over seven innings Sunday as the Red Sox defeated the Orioles 3-2 at Camden Yards. He struck out five, walked three and threw 95 pitches (59 strikes) while earning his third win since joining the Sox in the trade that sent John Lackey to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Kelly has allowed three earned runs or fewer in seven of his nine starts with Boston. He has limited opponents to five hits or fewer over at least six innings in six starts, the most such outings on the Red Sox since Aug. 1. General manager Ben Cherington said immediately after the Red Sox acquired Kelly on July 31 that the right-hander was expected to be a key cog in Boston’s 2015 rotation, and it’s already becoming clear why the organization had such high hopes.
“The intangibles and a pitch mix or repertoire that’s got definition to the four pitches that he can throw. There’s distinct differences in each one,” Farrell said. “But it starts with his ability to throw his fastball for strikes. Whether it’s on the plate, whether it’s sometimes not as much swing-and-miss as we’d like or you might think there would be with mid- to upper-90s velocity, he challenges hitters and he puts the ball in play.”
There have been hiccups, of course. Kelly allowed seven runs while walking six over four innings Aug. 17 against the Houston Astros. He has walked three or more hitters in seven of his nine starts. But within the occasional lapses in control is fantastic stuff highlighted by a mid-90s fastball. And Kelly’s ability to go at least six innings with regularity is a breath of fresh air amid the rotation’s other rollercoaster rides.
“Even with the velocity, he might not possess some of the deception that maybe some other pitchers might have,” Farrell said. “But still, hitters have to respect the velocity and, for the most part, (his) quality location.”
Kelly might not anchor the Red Sox’s rotation of the future. Some of the organization’s other promising starters might even leapfrog him on the depth chart next season or beyond. When the Red Sox search for positives following a tumultuous season, however, they can take some comfort in Kelly’s 2015 outlook.
Kelly in no way, shape or form looks dazed and confused.
Photo via Joy R. Absalon/USA TODAY Sports
