He’s not really a prospect, unless you think of Joe Kelly as a rookie in his new role for the Boston Red Sox.
Kelly, 28, who failed as a Boston starter, is moving to the bullpen and is scheduled to get his first taste of relieving Wednesday in a rehab appearance with the Lowell Spinners. Boston Manager John Farrell originally said Kelly would pitch for the Sea Dogs, but the Red Sox changed their mind Tuesday.
Kelly had an 8.46 ERA in six starts with Boston this year. He was sent to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he suffered a groin strain and has been on the mend since. The Red Sox announced that when he was healthy he would become a reliever – a process that starts this week.
“He gives us the potential of adding a power arm to the bullpen,” Farrell said Monday.
Farrell said Kelly’s schedule will be rehab appearances Wednesday and Saturday at Lowell, then back to Pawtucket after the All-Star break next week – “whether or not the need arises before that first appearance in Pawtucket, that’s all to be gauged.”
In other words, if Kelly looks ready, then the pitching-desperate Red Sox will call him up.
Kelly pitched out of the bullpen with the Cardinals. Of his 68 appearances with St. Louis, 30 were in relief.
Kelly came to Boston two years ago with Allen Craig in the John Lackey deal. Kelly features a 95 mph fastball that can hit the upper 90s.
Since 2014, Kelly has made 41 starts for Boston (5.55 ERA). He has been on the disabled list each of the past three Aprils (hamstring, biceps and shoulder injuries).
Kelly appeared to come back strong off the DL in May but soon began slipping. After giving up seven runs in 21/3 innings at Baltimore on June 1, Kelly was optioned to Pawtucket. He injured his groin 10 days later.
IN PAWTUCKET, recently deposed Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez made an impressive start Sunday (seven innings, two hits, no runs, two walks, four strikeouts). Boston isn’t going to hurry him back. “There’s a lot of emphasis on his adjustments and development to get back to where he was a year ago,” Farrell said. “That’s ongoing.”
In that Sunday game, Henry Ramos (.309/.864 OPS) was 0 for 6 before swatting a walk-off home run in the 16th inning – off Columbus Clippers second baseman Yhoxian Medina. Ramos hit for the cycle Monday.
IN PORTLAND, Yoan Moncada (.291/.909) hit his third home run in nine games Sunday. He has been an explosive left-handed hitter. Batting right-handed, Moncada has only eight at-bats (0 for 8, six strikeouts).
Andrew Benintendi (.284/.835) is already second on the team in home runs (five) after 42 games, and is batting .417 in his last 11 games.
Moncada and Benintendi will play in the major league Futures Game on Sunday in San Diego.
IN SALEM, Rafael Devers (.251/.694) continues to improve. Since batting .195 with 34 strikeouts in April and May, Devers is hitting .350 with 14 strikeouts. … Starter Trey Ball (5-3, 2.81) figured to be ready for a promotion but had a hiccup in his last start (five innings, six hits, three walks, five earned runs).
IN GREENVILLE, second baseman Luis Alejandro Basabe, 19, is batting .315/.883. His twin brother, outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe, is slumping at .226/.704, although he went 3 for 5 on Monday with a home run.
IN LOWELL, shortstop Nick Lovullo is off to a nice start. Lovullo, the son of Boston bench coach Torey Lovullo, is batting .302/.752 in 13 games.
IN THE GULF COAST League, pitcher Brian Johnson made his first appearance in almost two months. Johnson, who left the Pawtucket roster in May to deal with anxiety issues, pitched three innings Monday for the Red Sox rookie team in Fort Myers, Florida, allowing four hits, one walk and two runs, striking out four.
NOTES: The Red Sox lost five young prospects as a penalty from Major League Baseball for infractions on signing international players.
Last year Boston wasn’t allowed to sign any international free agents for more than $300,000. The Red Sox signed five Venezuelan players as a group – with money reportedly being “redistributed” after the deal, putting at least one player over $300,000.
The five players – outfielders Albert Guaimaro and Simon Muzziotti, infielders Antonio Pineiro and Eduardo Torrealba and pitcher Cesar Gonzalez – were declared free agents, and Boston is banned from signing any international free agents during the 2016-17 period (July to July).
All five are 17 and were playing in the Dominican Summer League.
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