Dodger Legend Joe Kelly Becomes A Free Agent

The Los Angeles Dodgers have declined the $12 million dollar option on reliever Joe Kelly's contract for 2022, making him a free agent. He's actually recovering from a biceps strain that knocked him out of the NLCS, and should be ready to throw again in six weeks. The two sides could be interested in a new deal.

But wherever he may go in his free agent travels, Kelly will always be a legend in Dodgerland, for being the face of the entire baseball world's hate and disgust over the Houston Astros cheating scandal, when he struck out Astros' villain Carlos Correa in the heat of the fallout in 2020.

Thanks for all the @Dodgers memories Joe Kelly 😭 pic.twitter.com/BrVTKc7BfW
— J (@JDodgersLA) November 6, 2021

JOE KELLY MURAL: Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly’s famous pout has been made permanent, but probably not the way his mother warned him about. https://t.co/iLnByDPZk7 pic.twitter.com/hoylIT6HQX
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) September 9, 2020

Possibly the greatest Bobblehead EVER !!!! When Joe Kelly gave Carlos Correa the Pout Face. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 #Dodgers @AsteriskTour *** Sold Out pic.twitter.com/67whVznp62
— Tim Gonzalez (@timmyg1976) March 23, 2021

Kelly had a strong season out of the Dodgers bullpen in 2021, posting a 2.85 ERA and 0.97 WHIP with 50 strikeouts in 48 innings.

He's spent the last three years of his 10-year major league career in LA, and receives a $4M buyout.