Few players can play a big role in a team losing the World Series and then quickly become a fan favorite of that team. That’s exactly what happened with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Joe Kelly.
After he was a shutdown relief pitcher in the 2018 World Series against the Dodgers with the Boston Red Sox, he signed with Los Angeles. He’s a Southern California native, so it was too hard for fans to get over what he did to the team in the World Series.
However, in 2020, he became a massive fan favorite of the team when he struck out Houston Astros star Carlos Correa and proceeded to mock him with a now-iconic pouty face.
Kelly didn’t play in 2025 and has maintained that he’s only interested in pitching for the Dodgers. Since that’s not likely to happen, the pitcher revealed that he’s likely done playing baseball.
“I ain’t playing,” Kelly said on the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast.
Kelly went on to lament the use of the word retirement when it comes to athletes. He’s only 37, so he’ll have many opportunities to do other things throughout his life and career. He wishes that there was another word to describe when a player stops playing.
“Let’s cancel the word retirement,” Kelly added.
Kelly Will Always Be a Dodgers Fan Favorite
Kelly was never a superstar player, but he’s always going to be remembered fondly by Dodgers fans. From the pouty face meme to him showing up to the White House wearing a charro jacket he got from a fan, he was a character that resonated with the fan base.
He clearly knew the fan base, considering he was born in Anaheim and grew up in the Inland Empire. If Kelly is indeed done playing baseball, he’s got plenty of great memories and two World Series titles under his belt. It’s hard to imagine he’ll ever have to buy himself a drink in Los Angeles ever again.
Dodgers Hitting Their Stride
Though Kelly was part of one Dodgers World Series win in 2020, he has missed out on MLB’s newest dynasty. He was with the team last year, but doesn’t get credited with that championship.
The Dodgers won again this year, but he wasn’t on the roster at any point. The team is finally starting to hit its stride. They were close for so many years, but could only pull off a World Series win during the shortened 2020 season. Many discredit that as a real championship due to the shortened season.
However, nobody can discredit the last two World Series wins. The Dodgers have beaten the loaded New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays teams in back-to-back seasons.
The Dodgers are again going to be the favorite to win in 2026, especially after landing star relief pitcher Edwin Diaz. Los Angeles is quickly becoming the premier team in baseball, and it’s up to everybody else to catch up. There was some heartbreak along the way, but the Dodgers have finally become the powerhouse that many thought they could become.
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