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Atlanta Braves free agent profile: Joe Kelly

By Benjamin Chase

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 06: Pitcher Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the third inning of Game Two of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on October 6, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 06: Pitcher Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the third inning of Game Two of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on October 6, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves
BOSTON, MA – JUNE 6: Joe Kelly #56 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the first inning against the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park on June 6, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images) /

Boston time

Kelly finished that 2014 season in Boston’s rotation, making 10 starts, throwing 61 1/3 innings, with a 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, and a 32/41 BB/K ratio.

The Red Sox plugged Kelly back into the rotation in 2015, but he struggled, with a 4.82 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP over 134 innings. When he posted an 8.46 ERA in his 6 starts to open the 2016 season, the decision was made to convert Kelly to the bullpen.

Kelly returned to the Boston bullpen in 2016, making his first relief appearance on July 25th. He closed the season with 14 relief appearances in total, tossing 17 2/3 innings, posting a 5/21 BB/K ratio and a 1.02 ERA.

Expectations were high for Kelly entering the 2017 season. He certainly met those expectations, working as the setup man for Boston, making 54 appearances and tossing 58 innings, with a 2.79 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 27/52 BB/K ratio.

The 2018 regular season was not as kind to Kelly. He made 73 appearances, working 65 2/3 innings. Over that time, he posted a 4.39 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and a 32/68 BB/K ratio.

Postseason performance

While his performance has been decidedly league average in the regular season, Kelly has shone when the lights are brightest. With the Cardinals over two seasons, he pitched in 11 postseason games, starting 4 of them, throwing 29 1/3 innings. He posted a 3.68 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, and a 13/24 BB/K ratio.

He’s really been dominant as a member of the Red Sox in the postseason. Working from the bullpen in 2016 and 2017, he’d totaled 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball, but he took his dominance to another level in 2018. He tossed 11 1/3 innings over 9 games, striking out 13 without a single walk.

Overall, as a member of the Red Sox, he’s made 14 postseason appearances, pitching 17 2/3 innings, posting an incredible 0.25 ERA, 0.68 WHIP, and an awesome 0/17 BB/K ratio.

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