The Boston Red Sox’s bullpen is going to look a little different in the 2019 Major League Baseball season.
While it’s becoming increasingly unlikely the Red Sox will re-sign Craig Kimbrel, Boston officially lost out on the Joe Kelly sweepstakes Thursday when the right-hander reportedly agreed to a three-year, $25 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It was a near certainty Kelly was going to receive a big payday after his dazzling performance in the 2018 playoffs. Kelly was particularly sharp in the World Series against the Dodgers, tossing a combined six scoreless innings in which he only allowed four hits with 10 strikeouts over five games.
Given his opportunity to cash in on the open market, with his hometown team no less, Kelly’s now-former Red Sox teammates harbor no bad blood toward the flamethrower for taking his talents west.
“All of the reactions were good,” Joe Kelly said on Rob Bradford’s “Bradfo Sho” podcast. “Brock (Holt) and his wife FaceTimed me and my wife at like seven in the morning, and he was like ‘Dang, you’re super, duper, duper rich!’ and I just started laughing. I’m obviously so close with those guys and everything was positive from those guys. They understand what’s the best for my family, career. It’s all been positive and great.”
It won’t be too long before Red Sox players and fans alike are reunited with Kelly, as Boston will welcome Los Angeles to Fenway Park for a weekend series in mid-July.
