Dodgers News: Joe Kelly Dealing With Nagging Injury
Dodgers’ relief ace Joe Kelly is dealing with a lower body injury but there is nothing specifically wrong, according to manager Dave Roberts.
His body just doesn’t feel great and it is affecting his ability to repeat his delivery consistently.
Roberts said there is no specific injury.
"I think it's just overall body. I really do. There is nothing really specific. The body just doesn't feel that he can continue to repeat his delivery. … If he wanted to go out there and pitch he could pitch."— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) September 21, 2019
Kelly has been dealing with soreness in his legs since Sept. 1, according to the LA Times.
He is able to pitch but Roberts said he is going to try to avoid using Kelly until the playoffs. Their focus is on getting him 100% healthy for the postseason.
He has only made four appearances in the past two weeks.
Kelly, 31, has pitched to a 4.62 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 11.01 K/9 and 3.91 BB/9 in 50 2/3 innings this season. His Dodgers’ career got off to a rough start but he has turned it around and been one of baseball’s better relievers over the past few months.
The Dodgers are going to need him healthy in October if they want to end their World Series drought.
Of course. What’s next?
Once the Dodgers get over the hump and win the World Series it’s not hard to imagine them winning many in the next few years. Maybe even 2-3 in a row!
“the hump”? I think you mean winning after a 31-year hiatus. This year’s club is not peaking for the fall classic, and has been less than impressive for the last month or so. A fair .500 ball club. Relievers are stumbling, hurting and starters have embraced the early inning home run give away promotion to the opposition.
Headlines boast, “Record runs scored!” Record Attendance!” but if you quit reading the Dodger’s own press releases, and dive into the team on the field, there’s some real concerns about injuries, fading performance and inconsistent pitching.
Instead of steaming into the Series, this club seems to be slouching towards, but not into, the Series.
Some teams peak in the fall and rise to the challenge. I remember the ’88 club and they did both those things. Let’s hope this team turns a number of things around. Pronto.
The first one is the hardest. I agree after that the flood gates will open and there will be no stopping us we will truly become the envy of baseball the way we’re set up is better than other teams that have won it all, there won’t be any struggle after we will continue making the playoffs yearly and be the most feared team in there, that is, if they ever win that first one. Imagine how great it would be to root for the team that’s a playoff monster like the patriots or warriors, it must be so great I’ve never felt that