Joe Kelly provides update on possible return to Dodgers as bullpen issues mount

An interesting development for the Dodgers' bullpen has been playing out mostly under the radar: Joe Kelly is attempting a comeback. He became a free agent at the end of the 2024 season after he'd spent a lot of time on the IL and missed out on the postseason altogether. He's remained a free agent since, and has said that he wouldn't sign with anyone but the Dodgers.

Kelly's 4.78 ERA last season and his history of incredibly spotty command aren't exactly ringing endorsements, but the Dodgers bullpen might need all the help it can get.

He's still recovering from the shoulder injury that limited him last year, but he's ramping up ahead of a tryout for the only team he's willing to play for. If the Dodgers want him to pitch in the postseason, he'll have to be signed to a major- or minor-league deal by Sept. 1.

Kelly reiterated that his goal was to get back to the Dodgers. "Time is on this side. My last bullpen was great," he said. "I finally got my breaking balls back. They're spinning good, spinning hard. Two different shapes. That was the last thing besides ultimate command."

Joe Kelly details ramp-up in hopeful return to Dodgers after long free agency

The Dodgers might not need Kelly at all if it weren't for the shocking decline of LA's bullpen this year. A lot it has to do with injuries — the Dodgers have five relievers on the IL (three on the 60-day) — but it doesn't help that they only added a single reliever at the trade deadline when they were expected to bring back a haul. Brock Stewart came over from the Twins with a 2.38 ERA in 34 innings, but he already has a 6.75 ERA in his first 2 2/3 innings back in LA.

Kelly hasn't had a fully consistent season since 2021. He earned a new contract in LA for 2024 after pitching 10 1/3 innings for a 1.74 ERA after being traded by the White Sox in 2023, but he gave Dodgers fans plenty of reasons to want to watch his innings from behind their couches last year.

If the rest of the bullpen keeps slipping and the Dodgers feel like they need even more arms within the next month, Kelly might be their last resort with trade channels now closed to them.