Joe Kelly Could Move To The Bullpen When He Returns, As He Should
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Red Sox have problems across the entire pitching staff, especially in the rotation - but they sneakily have pressing needs for power arms in the bullpen, too. If they can't trade for a legit flamethrower who can set up for Craig Kimbrel, they may have to promote from within - that's where Joe Kelly could provide some value.
According to a report by Aaron Leibowitz of MLB.com, Kelly hopes to throw a bullpen session on Sunday before making his next start in Triple-A Pawtucket. Manager John Farrell still won't shoot down the idea of Kelly coming back in a relief role once he's ready to return to the major leagues.
"Any potential role has been put on hold just because of [Kelly's injury], but as I've mentioned before, I wouldn't rule out him coming back to us in a shorter role," Farrell told reporters on Thursday.
Kelly hasn't pitched out of the bullpen since the 2013 season with the Cardinals. He has a 3.25 ERA in 30 career relief appearances - compared to 4.13 as a starter. With the loss of Carson Smith, the Red Sox could certainly use another reliever who can throw in the mid-to-upper-90s.
Kelly hasn't exactly proven able to sustain himself over the course of several innings in a game. His 2016 ERA in the third and fourth inning, right around the time he's going through the order for the second time, is 10.38 and 24.00, respectively. He's pitched beyond five innings in just one start this season, with an average fastball velocity of around 95.
Kelly may better serve the Red Sox throwing 96-100 out of the bullpen, if only to preserve the arms of Koji Uehara and Junichi Tazawa, who are already showing signs of wear. The Red Sox need help in the rotation from outside the organization at this point, and the only part of the team they may be able to help from within is the 'pen. It will be interesting to see how Kelly throws the ball if and when he makes his return to relief.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
