yahoo
The Boston Red Sox have parted ways with veteran pitcher Zack Kelly, designating him for assignment just before MLB free agency opened on Monday night. Kelly, who had been on the 60-day injured list with a stress reaction in his olecranon bone since late July, was removed from the 40-man roster and subsequently elected free agency.
In a heartfelt message posted on X, Kelly thanked the Red Sox organization, his teammates, and the fans. "What a ride! I'm grateful to have been a part of such a historic organization the last 6 years," he wrote. "Playing at Fenway Park was incredible and something I never took for granted. Thank you to the organization, my teammates, and the fans for being behind us every single night. Looking forward to the next chapter."
Kelly originally signed a minor-league deal with Boston in 2021 and made his MLB debut with the club in 2022. After splitting time between the minors and majors in 2023, he became a full-time reliever in 2024 and 2025. This season, he posted a 0-2 record with a 3.31 ERA in 17 games before his injury. Over his five-year MLB career with the Red Sox, the right-hander is 8-8 with a 4.04 ERA in 115 appearances.
Key Analysis
Despite Kelly's departure, Boston's bullpen remains a strength, according to MLB.com reporter Ian Browne. Browne highlighted the formidable late-inning duo of Garrett Whitlock in the eighth and Aroldis Chapman in the ninth. He also noted that injuries to Tyron Guerrero and Justin Slaten down the stretch hurt the team's playoff push. Browne emphasized that deep playoff runs often rely on strong bullpen depth from the fifth through ninth innings, and the Red Sox already have the makings of a strong relief corps. However, the team should continue to add pieces whenever possible. While Kelly proved to be a solid reliever, Boston apparently did not view him as part of their future bullpen plans.
Originally reported by yahoo.