Dodgers Hurler Reportedly Was 'Open To A Return' To Cardinals Before Signing

St. Louis reportedly could have landed a fireballer before he landed with the Dodgers

It sounds like one fireballer was open to joining the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, although a move never came to fruition.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been one of the most active clubs this offseason and have made the biggest move by landing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. Los Angeles made a smaller, but solid move by also re-signing Joe Kelly to help bolster the bullpen.

Kelly was a free agent after spending the 2023 campaign with Los Angeles and the Chicago White Sox and seemingly had a solid market after a stellar end to the season. The fireballer appeared in 11 games with the Dodgers down the stretch and logged a 1.74 ERA over that stretch. 

St. Louis already has improved the starting rotation this offseason and now needs to turn its focus to the bullpen. Kelly reportedly was "open to a return" to St. Louis, but a move never came to fruition, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold. 

"Earlier, I said that I was unable to tie any of the relievers who have signed to the Cardinals -- and I should clarify that Joe Kelly re-signed with the Dodgers," Goold said. "Kelly was open to a return. Not sure if the Cardinals made any move to offer him that chance. And LA was always the more likely destination."

Kelly was selected in the third round of the 2009 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft and eventually made his big league debut with the club in 2012. The righty spent the first two-plus years of his career in St. Louis before being traded to the Boston Red Sox during the 2014 season.

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