The Joe Kelly Experiment hasn’t gone as planned for the Boston Red Sox since former GM Ben Cherington acquired him at the deadline in 2014.
In 55 games spanning 41 starts, Kelly has posted a 4.70 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP across 235.2 uninspiring innings. Adding to the frustration, the now 28-year old features a flamethrower of a fastball and a devastating slider along with a plus curveball. With such nasty stuff, Kelly has become somewhat of an enigma over his Boston tenure, but something may have clicked in 2016.
It started with a role change to the bullpen.