Zack Kelly Appreciative Of Shoutout From Red Sox’s Alex Cora

Zack Kelly was a solid arm in the bullpen to start the season, but an elbow injury has kept him out since April. However, the 28-year-old has not been forgotten by Boston.

Kelly suffered his elbow injury during a matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. He was placed on the 60-day injured list and began his rehab assignments at the beginning of September in hopes of making his Major League Baseball return before the end of the 2023 season.

Manager Alex Cora acknowledged in August how Kelly would have been a helpful arm in the bullpen, and that shoutout alone was enough to help motivate the right-hander during his recovery.

“I appreciated it,” Kelly told MassLive on Thursday on the “Fenway Rundown” podcast. “It’s very easy to feel like you’re exiled down there in Fort Myers and forgotten because we’re in the dog days, at the finish line here and everybody’s trying to make that final playoff push. I’ve only been up in Boston for two or three days since April. It does feel like a little vote of confidence that I’m not forgotten. They still remember who I am, I guess. Just a little bit of a motivation to get back as soon as I can and be the best I can be whenever that time comes.”

Kelly hopes to be at full strength in time for the rest of the 2023 season, but his hard work during the final stretch could make for a solid impression come spring next year.