Joe Kelly tries to drill Fernando Tatis Jr. twice then flames him with NSFW comment

Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly is back in LA for a good time, not a long time, apparently.

His first game back with Los Angeles after the trade deadline deal that shipped him, alongside Lance Lynn, from Chicago consisted of 0.1 innings against the Cincinnati Reds. His second game back? Oh boy. Kelly was already playing the hits on Friday night in San Diego, plotting the sequel to his Carlos Correa sneer in 1.1 otherwise excellent innings against the Padres.

Kelly knows what he's there for, after all. He's supposed to be throwing untrackable cheddar, which could cut to either corner of the plate at a moment's notice. He's also supposed to deliver messages to players he believes represent what is wrong with baseball. That's how he got a mural painted of his exploits following the Astros cheating scandal (and, uh, nobody mention the 2018 Red Sox while we're here, doesn't quite fit the narrative).

On Friday night, Kelly saw a golden opportunity with Fernando Tatis Jr. in the box opposite him, and he did not let it get away.

Or, rather, he did let it get away. Twice. Against the man who was poised to be the face of baseball prior to his 80-game PED suspension. Tatis Jr. still makes excuses for his positive test, but Kelly appears not to be buying them, with zero tolerance for his indiscretions, especially when combined with his flashy and in-your-face style of play. It doesn't take a champion lip-reader to determine what Kelly was trying to say after completing the strikeout.

Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly let expletives fly after brushing back Fernando Tatis Jr., striking him out

As for the game on the field? The Dodgers rallied from down 3-1 in the seventh and 3-2 in the eighth to take a lopsided 10-5 game in San Diego, setting the tone for a reversal in this rivalry yet again.

The criminally disappointing Padres haven't managed to get in gear this season, possibly still hungover from losing a full season of Tatis Jr. last year. Pretty sure Kelly remains unsympathetic.