Who is Joe Kelly? Inside the MLB pitcher’s 13-year career with the Red Sox, Dodgers, and World Series wins before retirement

Joe Kelly is a longtime Major League Baseball pitcher known for his fiery style and big postseason moments. He played 13 seasons in the league and won championships with two teams. In early 2026, Joe Kelly shared that his playing career is over. He made the announcement on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast, saying he is done pitching in the majors.

Now 36 years old, Joe Kelly leaves the game after pitching for several teams and winning two World Series titles. He last appeared in an MLB game during the 2024 season and did not play at all in 2025 after going unsigned.

Joe Kelly explains why he is done playing baseball

Joe Kelly spoke openly about his decision while talking on the podcast. He joked about the word “retirement” and said it does not really fit athletes. “Retiring is like something my grandmother did,” Joe Kelly said. “Athletes don’t really retire. We just stop playing.”

Joe Kelly was drafted in the third round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. He made his MLB debut in 2012 and started his career mainly as a starting pitcher. After two and a half seasons, the Cardinals traded him to the Boston Red Sox in 2014.

By 2016, Joe Kelly moved into a full-time bullpen role. That change helped him find success. In 2018, he played a key role in Boston’s postseason run.

During that playoff stretch, he made nine appearances, posted a 0.79 ERA, and earned the win in Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.



One year after beating the Dodgers, Joe Kelly joined them in 2019. He later helped Los Angeles win the 2020 World Series, giving him a championship ring with a second team.

He spent three seasons with the Dodgers before signing with the Chicago White Sox in 2022. During the 2023 season, Chicago traded Joe Kelly back to Los Angeles.

His final MLB season came in 2024, when he made 35 appearances. That year, he posted a 4.78 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He did not pitch during the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series run.

After the season, Joe Kelly said he would only return if the Dodgers signed him again. That deal never happened. With no contract in 2025, Joe Kelly quietly stepped away from the game he played for more than a decade.

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