Yankees Pitcher Responds to Dodgers' Joe Kelly's Bashing: 'I Don't Know Him At All'

Maren Angus-Coombs | Feb 25, 2025

Jul 28, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly (99) reacts after delivering a pitch against the Houston Astros during the eighth inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Gerrit Cole doesn’t understand why Joe Kelly keeps calling him out over a mistake in the World Series.

The latest shot from the Dodgers free agent compared Cole’s blunder to a Little League error.

“Knox’s 9-year-old travel team … every single one of them, kids who pitch one inning a week, bro, know how to get over [to first],” Kelly said on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. “They’re nine. And not one of them forgets to get over.”

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Kelly didn’t stop there.

“I know who does forget,” he added. “It’s not the 9-year-old ZT Prospects. I wonder how ground balls are going [for the Yankees] this spring.”

When asked about it by Bob Klapisch of NJ Advanced Media, Cole responded.

"I took a bad angle to the ball. I wasn't sure how hard he hit it. By the time the ball got by me, I was not in a position to cover first. Neither of us were"

- Gerrit Cole on what happened on Mookie Betts' ground ball in the 5th inning of Game 5 pic.twitter.com/xeXOnPTA2E

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 31, 2024

“I don’t know him at all,” Cole said Saturday. “I don’t really know what he said, but I don’t mind. It’s hard for me to (react) with anything of substance, other than I’m really focused on this season.”

The mistake Kelly referenced happened during Game 5 of the World Series when Cole failed to cover first base during a key play in the Yankees’ fifth-inning meltdown. New York had a five-run lead but couldn’t hold off the Dodgers, who went on to win the title.

“It wasn’t for a lack of effort, I just misplayed the ball,” Cole said. “I didn’t get off in a position to get over to first base. It was just a mistake.”

Despite Kelly’s comments, Cole is focused on the future and hoping for another shot at the Dodgers.

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“The reality is that we didn’t give ourselves a chance to overcome certain aspects (of the Dodgers’ dominance). Like, Kiké (Hernandez) consistently delivering at the plate, same for Mookie.

“And Freddie Freeman had the World Series of a lifetime. I mean, he had no home runs in the postseason up to that point, then hits four home runs against us.”

For Cole, the goal is simple: Getting back to the World Series and ensuring history doesn’t repeat itself.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.