Breaking news: Sadly, controversial former Dodgers, Red Sox world series champion bashes Yankees’ Aaron Boone.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees may start the 2025 MLB regular season as favorites to win the pennant again in the National League and the American League, respectively, after both clubs had fantastic offseasons.
However, bullpen pitcher Joe Kelly is one Dodgers player who is unlikely to return to the team this season after winning the World Series. However, that doesn’t mean Kelly’s winter has been boring; the 36-year-old has continued to solidify his status as one of the game’s most trash talkers.
After Los Angeles defeated New York in the 2024 Fall Classic, the free agent pitcher and Yankees manager Aaron Boone have been at odds for a long time this offseason.
Kelly retaliated in an interview with Rob Bradford on the most recent episode of the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast after Boone previously remarked that the majority of the Dodgers’ trash-talking came from guys who contributed very little during the World Series. Despite being 1-1 with a 4.78 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 32 innings in the 2024 regular season, Kelly, who had won a championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, did not participate in the postseason.
“(Boone’s) very injured. Kelly remarked, “It’s really sad.” It might be difficult to recognize when your strong leader is afraid. Emotions are wounded.
The former St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox player wasn’t finished, even drawing a comparison between Little League play and the Bronx Bombers’ defensive collapse in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series. The ace starting pitcher Gerrit Cole’s failure to cover first base on a grounder to the right side concluded the dreadful period, which also featured a drop by star outfielder Aaron Judge on a simple flyball.
How are ground balls going, I wonder? “The little things, like ground balls and pitcher’s fielding practice,” Kelly remarked. After a ground ball to the right side, my son Knox’s nine-year-old travel team’s initial move was to break them all. Each and every one of them. Pitching once a week teaches kids to move on. They are nine years old! They all remember to get over it. I swear to you. The nine-year-olds are not the only ones who forget to get over.
There most likely won’t be space for Kelly to return to the Dodgers with players like Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips, as well as rookies Kirby Yates and Tanner Scott anticipated to head the bullpen. With a career record of 54-38 and a strong 3.98 ERA over 839 innings pitched (485 appearances), as well as 41 postseason games under his belt, the 2009 draft pick may potentially make his way onto a major league squad in 2025.
However, the native of Anaheim informed Bradford that he would not entertain signing with the Yankees.
Kelly Has a Prolonged History of Differing Opinions
The verbal spar with Boone this summer is by no means the first difficult moment in Kelly’s 13 seasons.
When he hit first baseman Tyler Austin with a pitch during a Red Sox game in April 2018, he sparked a brawl that cleared the benches against the rival Yankees. Earlier in the game, Austin had slammed into Brock Holt, an infielder for Boston.
