Zack Kelly is making a good first impression
Through his first two weeks in the majors, Zack Kelly has been a reliable arm
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Zack Kelly reacts after completing the bottom of the sixth inning during his major league debut against the Minnesota Twins of a baseball game Monday, Aug. 29, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Over the last few weeks, the makeup of the Red Sox bullpen has changed. Veterans such as Austin Davis and Hirokazu Sawamura have seen their Red Sox tenures end. Zack Kelly is one player who was called up to replace them, and he is making the most of his first opportunity in the majors.
After an impressive season in Triple-A, Kelly’s success has translated to the majors. The Roanoke native has posted a 2.70 ERA through six appearances for the Red Sox. In that span, he has only walked three batters. While his sample size is small, Kelly has yet to allow a home run.
Additionally, opponents have struggled to get on base against the 27-year-old. They are only hitting .217 against Kelly, and he has only allowed one hit in his last three appearances. As the Red Sox rookie reliever has started to settle into a groove, he has proven to be a reliable arm against playoff-caliber competition.
In his last three appearances, Kelly has faced the Rays twice and the Orioles once. He has thrived against those lineups and not allowed a run in 3.1 innings. While his strike-out numbers do not jump off the page, he has shown excellent control. For the Red Sox, that is an encouraging sign.
As Boston looks toward the future, Kelly could play a role in the bullpen for years to come. He has nothing left to prove in the minors and excelled regardless of the level. The Red Sox are expected to upgrade their bullpen significantly in the offseason and having internal options such as Kelly will be crucial. He has already shown that he can handle major league batters.
In 6.2 innings in the majors, Kelly has not allowed a lot of hard contact. The Newberry College product has nearly been perfect as five of his six appearances have been scoreless. While Kelly is just getting started, he is making a case to be in the Red Sox bullpen next year. He will face plenty of competition, but his first two weeks in the majors have shown why he is an intriguing piece.
Coming into the season, he was projected to be a seventh-inning arm due to his command. While that could ultimately be his role in the majors, control has not been an issue in his first stint. As the season winds down, Kelly will be a prospect to keep an eye on as he looks to prove that he belongs.
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