Joe Kelly Ends MLB Career After 13 Seasons, Won World Series With Red Sox, Dodgers

Joe Kelly is calling it a career.

The former MLB reliever announced on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast that he's ending his career after 13 seasons.

"Retiring is like, something that my grandmother did," he said. "... I'm sorry all you people out there watching this that work a real job. You guys deserve to retire, athletes don't. We just stop playing... Let's cancel the word 'retirement.'"

Drafted in the third round of the 2009 MLB draft, Kelly made his debut for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 and began his career primarily as a starter. After two and a half seasons with the Cardinals, he was dealt to the Boston Red Sox in 2014.

During the 2016 season, Kelly shifted into a role out of the bullpen, and he continued as a reliever for the remainder of his career.

On the way to a World Series with the Red Sox in 2018, Kelly made nine postseason appearances and posted a 0.79 ERA with a 2-1 record. He pitched and was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that year.

A season after beating the Dodgers in the World Series, Kelly signed with them in 2019 and helped them win a World Series in 2020.

Following a three-year stint in Los Angeles, he joined the Chicago White Sox in 2022 but was traded back to the Dodgers during the 2023 campaign. In his final season in 2024, Kelly made 35 appearances, posting a 4.78 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. He did not pitch for Los Angeles during its 2024 World Series run.

After the 2024 season, Kelly said he would only return to MLB if the Dodgers signed him. Ultimately, he went unsigned and did not play in 2025.