Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (left) celebrates with relief pitcher Joe Kelly (17) and left fielder Joc Pederson (31) after game one of the 2019 NLDS playoff baseball series against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 3, 2019. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Dodgers Fan Favorite Punched on Field in Youth Game

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated Jun 24, 2025 1:55 PM ET

Joe Kelly never took a punch on the field in any of his five seasons in a Dodgers uniform, though he was famously unafraid to do so.

Kelly hasn't pitched this season while he coaches his his son's youth baseball team, a path similar to the one former Dodgers pitcher Rich Hill followed before signing with the Boston Red Sox in August of last year.

While Kelly hasn't formally announced whether he will seek a new contract or not, he might be looking to escape the rigors of coaching children. In his most recent appearance on the Baseball Isn't Boring podcast, Kelly said he was punched by an adult associated with a rival team on the field, and is planning to press charges.

Morning podcast: Joe Kelly's unbelievable (and unfortunate) youth baseball incident. Spoiler: The sibling of the other team's manager came onto the field and punched him.
Listen: https://t.co/OFfhwmdg9n pic.twitter.com/Dq0xB0vjiO
— Baseball Isn’t Boring (@BBisntBoring) June 21, 2025

“She’s like, ‘Are you afraid you’re going to lose to assault?' And all of the sudden, out of nowhere, I get my hat flicked off," Kelly told Rob Bradford. "So then I go down to pick it up on the ground, and turn around and all of a sudden, a fist punches me in the forehead.

"I don’t care if you’re Joe Kelly or a regular coach. A physical altercation on the field in a 9-year-old game is unacceptable. It’s like the craziest, most disgusting, ugliest thing I’ve ever seen."

Kelly said an umpire offered his team the chance to win by forfeit, but he chose to keep playing instead, not wanting the kids to win by virtue of an adult's misdeed.

Unfortunately, stories like Kelly's are not rare. One 2023 study looked at "negative spectator behavior" among adults at youth sporting events in Hawaii. The observational data found negative spectator behaviors — e.g., alcohol use, smoking, swearing, threats — present at 68% of events.

Kelly's bold personality and fearless demeanor made him a fan favorite in Los Angeles. A pivotal moment came in 2020 when Kelly — not part of the 2017 Dodgers team — threw at Astros players Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa, leading to a benches-clearing incident.

The act of defiance against the Astros' sign-stealing scandal resonated deeply with Dodgers fans, who felt the sting of the 2017 World Series loss to an Astros team ultimately found to be stealing their signs illegally.

Last season, Kelly went went 1-1 with a 4.78 ERA in 35 regular season games with the Dodgers. Although he did not participate in the ceremonial White House with his 2024 teammates, Kelly received his World Series ring in a ceremony at Dodger Stadium earlier this month.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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