After making multiple key relief appearances for Los Angeles over these years, the former Dodgers pitcher, Joe Kelly, has called it a career at 37.

“I could throw gas still at 41, but now? Hell no, I’m not playing,” Kelly shared during his recent appearance on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast.

“There’s no such thing as retirement for athletes. Retiring is something my grandmother did. Let’s cancel the word “retirement”; it’s used for people who served in the military and for people who worked till 65. You guys deserve to retire; athletes don’t.”

His firm decision has come only months after the Dodgers turned down his heartfelt plea.

Back in August, Joe Kelly did everything he could to get back on the mound.

“If I come back healthy, I’m only playing for one team, and that’s the Dodgers,” he said earlier this year. “Time is on this side. My last bullpen yesterday was great. I finally got my breaking balls back. They’re spinning good, spinning hard. Two different shapes. That was the last thing besides ultimate command.”

Around the same span, the Dodgers’ bullpen was walking a tightrope. Even then, Andrew Friedman openly shot down the idea of overpriced deadline shopping. Throughout this past summer, Kelly was in rehab, hoping to make a potential late-season return with the Dodgers.

However, nothing ever materialized in that regard. For someone who was also known by the name “Mariachi Joe,” Kelly’s farewell came with less fanfare.

He has had quite a history with the Dodgers. Since joining the team in 2019, Kelly has gone on to make 161 appearances. He managed to pitch nearly 148 innings with a 3.72 ERA. Not to mention his key role in the Dodgers’ 2020 and 2024 world series run. He did leave for the White Sox in 2022, but eventually returned to Los Angeles in 2023 via trade.

Joe Kelly would still be Dodgers’ fan favorite

Joe Kelly has certainly known the LA fanbase all along. He was born in Anaheim and grew up in the Inland Empire. He helped the Boston Red Sox beat the Dodgers in the 2018 World Series only to sign a free agent contract in December of the same year.

From the next year onwards till 2021, Kelly was one of Dave Roberts’ go-to relievers when he was healthy. He gave up only one run across five playoff appearances back when the Dodgers went on to win the 2020 World Series in the pandemic-shortened season. He earned the ‘fan favorite’ tag in 2020 when he struck out Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros. He’s well remembered for mocking the Astros player with his iconic pouty face.

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In fact, remember when the Dodgers made their championship visit to the White House in 2021? That time, Kelly stood out by wearing a mariachi-style jacket. He got that from Grover Castro at Dodger Stadium. Even four years down the line, a beguiling painting of Kelly in that same jacket hangs inside Dodger Stadium.