Overview
- He made the announcement on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast with host Rob Bradford.
- Kelly rejected the word “retirement,” saying athletes simply stop playing rather than retire.
- He explained that a planned July throwing session for the Dodgers led to a strain and no deal, prompting his decision.
- He last pitched in 2024 for Los Angeles and went unsigned throughout the 2025 season.
- Across 13 seasons with the Cardinals, Red Sox, Dodgers and White Sox, he logged 485 games with a 3.98 ERA and 767 strikeouts, winning titles in 2018 and 2020 and being part of the Dodgers’ 2024 championship without pitching in the postseason.