Former Red Sox World Series Hero Announces Retirement In Unusual Fashion

More than a year after his last Major League game, former Boston Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly is calling it a career.

Kelly essentially announced his retirement on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast, saying he’s no longer pitching. True to form, he refused to explicitly say he’s retiring, taking exception to the phrase.

“Retiring is, like, something my grandmother did,” Kelly said. “It’s so disrespectful. I’m sorry all you people out there that work a real job. You guys deserve to retire. Athletes don’t. We just stop (expletive) playing…No more retirement (expletive).”

Kelly last pitched in 2024 for the Los Angeles Dodgers, earning his third World Series ring. After going unsigned in 2025, the 37-year-old right-hander is hanging it up.

His eventful MLB career spanned 13 seasons from 2012 to 2024. He pitched for four teams and won three championships along the way, primarily as a reliever.

After beginning his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, Kelly spent four and a half seasons with the Red Sox from 2014 to 2018. He initially struggled as a starter but had more success after moving to the bullpen, leading the 2018 World Series champs with 73 relief appearances.

Kelly flourished during that playoff run, allowing just one earned run with 13 strikeouts over 11 1/3 postseason innings. He always saved his best for October, posting a 0.51 ERA in the playoffs with Boston.

He joined the Dodgers after pitching against them in the 2018 Fall Classic, helping them win titles in 2020 and 2024.

Talkative, combative and armed with a good fastball, Kelly had a reputation for getting under opponents’ skin and occasionally starting brawls. He was a character who stood out from the crowd with his unique personality and presence, making him one of the more memorable relievers in recent Red Sox history.