Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Joe Kelly Pledges Loyalty to Dodgers if MLB Teams Come Calling

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 4:30 PM ET

There is a reason why veteran pitcher Joe Kelly's regular antics have not been making waves in media circles in recent months – the fact that he remains unsigned by an MLB team.

The Los Angeles Dodgers inked Kelly to a one-year, $8 million contract ahead of the 2024 season. He finished the campaign with a 1-1 record, 4.78 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched across 35 big-league appearances. The club, however, has opted not to re-sign Kelly in the months that have followed.

He remains a free agent, as he has not yet announced his retirement from professional baseball. But he said there is only one team he would play for if given another chance to pitch at the major-league level.

"I made it known, which people would say is bad for marketing, but I couldn't give a crap," Kelly said in an interview with Foul Territory TV. "If I come back healthy, I'm only playing for one team, and that's the Dodgers."

Joe Kelly: "If I come back healthy, I'm only playing for one team, and that's the Dodgers." pic.twitter.com/1StmPvnWJH
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) June 25, 2025

Kelly has had two separate stints with the Dodgers – the first from 2019 to 2021, and the second from 2023 to 2024. Across his 161 games in a Dodgers uniform, he has pitched to a 9-5 record, 3.72 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP in 147.2 innings pitched.

Over the course of his 13-year MLB career, Kelly has also pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox. He is a career 54-38 pitcher with a 3.98 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 767 strikeouts, and 5.3 WAR ( according to Baseball Reference) in 839 innings pitched, and is a two-time World Series champion.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: