Joe Kelly will no longer play baseball

[cardstatman]

Joe Kelly retires will no longer play baseball.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/ ... areer.html

[cardstatman]

5.3 career bWAR. 3.4 bWAR for STL. His best pitching was in STL.
7.2 career fWAR. 0.3 fWAR for STL. His best pitching was not in STL.

3.25 ERA in 266 IP for STL but a 3.99 FIP which accounts for the big difference.

Fun stuff with WAR.

[WaltsSuccessor]

5.3 career bWAR. 3.4 bWAR for STL. His best pitching was in STL.
7.2 career fWAR. 0.3 fWAR for STL. His best pitching was not in STL.

3.25 ERA in 266 IP for STL but a 3.99 FIP which accounts for the big difference.

Fun stuff with WAR.

Indeed. Two of the biggest deficiencies in WAR (IMO) is valuing relief pitchers and catcher defense. It just doesn’t do a very good job in those areas.

Not sure there’s an easy fix for either though. RP performance can be so volatile simply due to the sample size of IP being so limited generally. There’s just not enough quantity to even out 1-2 bad outings.

[cardstatman]

Over his career Kelly struck out only 6.5 / 9IP in his 81 starts (433 IP) but struck out 10.1 / 9IP in his 404 relief appearances (406 IP).

I think his fastball was around 96 as a starter but 98-99 as a reliever. Also his sinker gained velocity as a reliever.

Current/recent STL starters K / 9IP
9.0 Gray
9.0 Lynn
8.4 Matz
8.1 May
7.3 Gibson
7.2 Liberatore
6.9 Fedde
6.8 Dobbins
6.6 Pallante
6.3 Fitts
6.4 Mikolas
5.8 McGreevy

[icon]

Joe Kelly retires will no longer play baseball.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/ ... areer.html

Say it ain't so, Joe. Not really.

[okcardfan]

Over his career Kelly struck out only 6.5 / 9IP in his 81 starts (433 IP) but struck out 10.1 / 9IP in his 404 relief appearances (406 IP).

I think his fastball was around 96 as a starter but 98-99 as a reliever. Also his sinker gained velocity as a reliever.

Current/recent STL starters K / 9IP
9.0 Gray
9.0 Lynn
8.4 Matz
8.1 May
7.3 Gibson
7.2 Liberatore
6.9 Fedde
6.8 Dobbins
6.6 Pallante
6.3 Fitts
6.4 Mikolas
5.8 McGreevy

Yikes!
D'ya think there could be room in the starting rotation for a strikeout pitcher? Hmm . . . I guess we don't have any such candidates, huh?

[ecleme22]

Joe Kelly retires will no longer play baseball.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/ ... areer.html

Really nice, seemingly fun, career.

4 WS, 3 rings. Dodgers fans love him.

[sp25]

Joe Kelly retires will no longer play baseball.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/ ... areer.html

Really nice, seemingly fun, career.

4 WS, 3 rings. Dodgers fans love him.

Agree, nice job, Joe! Enjoy "no longer playing" baseball!

[11WSChamps]

Always enjoyed his antics when he was Cardinal.

A postseason celebration with Matt Adam's on Fox sports where they spit beer into each other's mouths was the damm dest thing I've ever scene in one of those celebrations.

[cardstatman]

Joe Kelly vs Scott Van Slyke standoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_mYOwV8i4

[BrummerStealsHome]

Dancing With the Stars now?

[zbasspro]

Made 60 million, nice career for what he was.