Joe Kelly, Pitcher, Chicago White Sox
Date of Birth: 6/9/1988
Birthplace: Anaheim, California
College: University of California, Riverside
Joe Kelly, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, was first drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009. He pitched in the Cardinals' minor league system from 2009 through part of 2011.
Kelly was both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher in his first two seasons (2012, 2013) with the Cardinals. In 2012, he pitched 107.0 innings in 24 games and he finished the season with a 5-7 record, 75 strikeouts to 36 walks, and a 3.53 ERA. Last year, he pitched 124.0 innings in 37 games. He finished with a 10-5 record and a 2.69 ERA.
Kelly was traded to the Boston Red Sox on July 31, 2014. He finished the 2014 season with a 6-4 record, 66 strikeouts to 42 walks, and a 4.20 ERA in 7 games with the Cardinals and 10 games with the Red Sox.
Kelly pitched in 25 games with the Red Sox in 2015. He finished the season with a 10-6 record, 110 strikeouts to 49 walks, and a 4.82 ERA in 134.1 innings.
Kelly pitched 6 games as a starter and 14 games in relief in 2016. He finished the season with a 5.18 ERA, a 4-0 win-loss record, and 48 strikeouts to 24 walks in 40.0 innings. In the postseason, he pitched 3.2 innings in relief in 3 games and he didn't give up any hits.
Kelly pitched in 54 games as a reliever with the Red Sox in 2017. He finished the season with 4 wins and 1 loss, 52 strikeouts to 27 walks, and a 2.79 ERA in 58.0 innings. In the postseason, he pitched 2.2 innings in 2 games and he gave up 4 hits and no runs.
Kelly finished the 2018 season with 4 wins and 2 losses, 2 saves, 68 strikeouts to 32 walks, and a 4.39 ERA in 65.2 innings in 73 games. In the postseason, he pitched 11.1 innings in 9 games and he gave up 8 hits and 1 earned run. He had 2 wins and 1 loss and a 0.79 ERA. He struck out 13 batters and walked none.
Kelly became a free agent on October 29, 2018. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 21st. He finished the 2019 season with 5 wins and 4 losses, 1 save, 62 strikeouts to 22 walks, and a 4.56 ERA in 51.1 innings in 55 games. In the postseason, he pitched 2.1 innings in 3 games and he gave up 5 hits, including a home run, and 6 runs. He struck out 4 batters and walked 5, and he had a 23.14 ERA.
Kelly pitched in 12 games in 2020. He finished the season with no wins and no losses, 9 strikeouts to no walks, and a 1.80 ERA in 10.0 innings. In the postseason, he pitched in 5 games and he gave up 4 hits and 1 run and he had a 2.45 ERA in 3.2 innings.
Kelly pitched in 48 games in 2021, and he had 2 wins and no losses, 2 saves, 50 strikeouts to 15 walks, and a 2.86 ERA in 44.0 innings. In the postseason, he gave up 5 hits, 1 home run, and 3 runs in 5.1 innings in 7 games.
Kelly became a free agent on November 5, 2021. He signed with the White Sox on March 14, 2022.
Career pitching statistics for Kelly through 2021 include:
- 365 games played
- 730.2 innings pitched
- 50-29 win-loss record
- 619 strikeouts to 298 walks
- 3.83 ERA
Personal Life
Kelly and his wife Ashley were married in November, 2013.
Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Joe Kelly
ESPN - Joe Kelly