Joe Kelly’s World Series Status Revealed by Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Thursday that right-handed reliever Joe Kelly will not be on the World Series roster when Game 1 begins Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
Kelly, who’s dealing with a right shoulder injury and hasn’t pitched since late September, will not be added to the World Series roster on Friday. However, Roberts did say he could be a candidate to join the roster as an injury replacement down the line if the situation arose.
“Not to start, not to start,” Roberts said. “Joe is still throwing and ramping up, but I think at the outset of, when we set the roster, I don’t think Joe’s a candidate right now.”
Kelly last pitched on Sept. 27 for the Dodgers. On the year, he made 35 appearances, sporting a 4.78 ERA across 32 innings.
Kelly’s 2024 season was a struggle, and it wouldn’t make sense for the Dodgers to add him to the World Series roster if he wasn’t 100 percent healthy (or even if he was).
The Dodgers bullpen has dominated throughout the postseason, and will look to continue to do the same against the New York Yankees.
While Kelly won’t be on the roster, there’s a chance both Alex Vesia and Brusdar Graterol are on it.
Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
time to move on from this guy…he may be a fan fav but the dude is always hurt…..and he is average at best.
Kelly was a bust. Never understood why AF signed him in the first place.
$9M down the drain. AF had a total brain freeze when he signed Guano Joe.
Hope Vesia & Graterol can pitch, but please keep Casparius. He can start and be long relief.