Call it what you want, but Joe Kelly’s baseball career appears to be over — at least in all but name. The longtime Los Angeles Dodgers reliever, who stormed onto the MLB scene in 2012, seemed to confirm the end of his playing days on Monday, though he stopped short of using the word “retirement.” In his trademark blunt style, Kelly dismissed the concept entirely.
“Retiring is like something my grandmother did. It’s so disrespectful,” Kelly told Rob Bradford on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast. “I’m sorry to all you people out there watching this that work a real job, you guys deserve to retire. Athletes don’t, we just stop f–king playing. It’s used for people who served in the military. It’s used for people who work until 65, like they have to. They probably don’t even like their job, but they had to.”
Despite the unusual phrasing, Kelly made it clear his professional playing days are likely behind him. “So when athletes are done playing, just say congratulations; they’re no longer playing. No more retirement bulls–t,” he added, cutting through the euphemisms that often cloak an athlete’s exit from the game.
Kelly’s career has been as fiery as his fastball. While injuries sidelined him during the postseason, he didn’t hold back from calling out the New York Yankees for what he saw as lackluster fundamentals during the five-game World Series. He even mocked the team for bringing rapper Fat Joe to perform in The Bronx.
“We had seen it every single game just let them throw the ball to the infield, they can’t make a play,” Kelly said — comments later disputed by Yankees manager Aaron Boone and general manager Brian Cashman. “It was a mismatch from the get-go. If we had a playoff re-ranking, they might be ranked the eighth or ninth-best playoff team,” he added.
The feud with the Yankees isn’t new. In April 2018, Kelly made headlines during a chaotic, bench-clearing brawl at Fenway Park after plunking Yankees first baseman Tyler Austin in retaliation for a late slide. The incident earned him a six-game suspension but cemented his reputation as a player unafraid to defend his teammates and his turf.
Kelly’s outspoken nature has produced other headline-grabbing moments. In 2022, he publicly called former Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson a “douche” after an on-field altercation involving White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. And in July 2020, Kelly drew national attention when a pouty face directed at the Houston Astros sparked a benches-clearing brawl, landing him another suspension.
On the field, however, Kelly’s resume speaks volumes. Debuting as a starter with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012, he transitioned to the bullpen in 2016 with the Boston Red Sox. He played a key role in Boston’s 2018 World Series victory before signing a three-year deal with the Dodgers, contributing to their 2020 championship. In March 2022, he inked a two-year pact with the White Sox, only to be traded back to Los Angeles at the trade deadline the following season.
Earlier this year, Kelly hinted at what fans have long suspected: if he wasn’t pitching for the Dodgers, he’d walk away from the game entirely. Now, with his latest comments, that scenario seems closer than ever. Even without the ceremonial label of “retirement,” the curtain appears to be falling on one of baseball’s most colorful, high-octane relievers.
Whether you love him for his blazing fastball, his bench-clearing bravado, or his unfiltered commentary, Joe Kelly has left an indelible mark on the sport. And as he steps away from the mound — officially or otherwise — one thing is certain: the baseball world won’t soon forget him.
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