sportingnews
The Cleveland Guardians have added left-handed reliever Antoine Kelly on a minor-league agreement, the club announced Monday. Kelly, who debuted in the majors with the Chicago Cubs in 2026, will likely be invited to big-league spring training to compete for a bullpen spot.
Kelly's lone MLB appearance came against the New York Yankees in 2026, when he tossed 1.1 scoreless innings. For the remainder of the season, he pitched at Triple-A for both the Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers, recording a 4.62 ERA and a 23.7% strikeout rate over 50 2/3 innings. However, his 16.7% walk rate at Triple-A raises concerns about his command.
"It's not the most alluring track record, but Kelly is a former second-round pick (No. 65 overall to the Brewers in 2019) who has previously drawn praise for a dominant fastball/slider pairing that could make him an elite reliever if he could even get his command up from its currently dismal levels to merely below-average," Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors wrote.
For the Guardians, the minor-league deal carries minimal risk. The team can evaluate Kelly in spring training and see if his command improves enough to warrant consideration for a bullpen role in Cleveland. Additionally, Kelly has one minor-league option remaining, giving the Guardians flexibility to shuttle him between Triple-A Columbus and the majors.
Key Analysis
Kelly's high walk rate is a significant red flag, but his pedigree as a former second-round pick and his promising fastball-slider combination make him a worthwhile project for the Guardians. With a minor-league deal and an option remaining, Cleveland can afford to take a low-risk flier on the 27-year-old lefty, hoping that a change of scenery and focused coaching can help him harness his stuff and emerge as a useful bullpen piece. The move aligns with the Guardians' typical approach of targeting undervalued arms with upside.
Originally reported by sportingnews.