Joe Kelly

Joe Kelly
Born	Joseph William Kelly
Nationality	American
Occupation	Professional baseball pitcher
Employer	Los Angeles Dodgers (final team)
Known for	Relief pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers; confrontation with the Houston Astros; "Mariachi Joe" persona

Joseph William Kelly is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played thirteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed pitcher who began his career as a starter before transitioning into a relief role, Kelly played for several teams over the course of his career, most notably the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he became a fan favorite known for his fiery personality and willingness to challenge opposing hitters. Kelly debuted in the major leagues in 2012 and compiled 485 career appearances, including 81 starts, accumulating 839.0 innings pitched with a career strikeout rate of 21.1% and a walk rate of 9.8%. In December 2025, Kelly announced the end of his playing career after thirteen major league seasons, though he notably declined to use the word "retired," telling reporters he found the term "disrespectful." His outspoken nature and colorful persona — particularly his role in confronting the Houston Astros over their sign-stealing scandal and the emergence of his "Mariachi Joe" identity at Dodger Stadium — cemented his status as one of the more memorable clubhouse personalities of his era.

Career

Overview and Major League Debut

Joe Kelly made his major league debut in 2012 and went on to pitch for thirteen seasons at the highest level of professional baseball. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 485 games, starting 81 of them, and pitched a total of 839.0 innings. Initially used as a starting pitcher in the early portion of his career, Kelly eventually transitioned into a bullpen role, where he found sustained success and became one of baseball's more recognizable relief pitchers. His career strikeout rate stood at 21.1%, his walk rate at 9.8%, and he posted a ground ball rate of 51.8%, indicating his effectiveness at generating contact on the ground.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Kelly became most closely associated with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he spent a significant portion of his career and became a beloved figure among the team's fanbase. His final MLB season came in 2024, when he appeared in 35 games for the Dodgers, pitching 32.0 innings with a strikeout rate of 24.5%, a walk rate of 11.2%, and a ground ball rate of 47.1%. While these numbers reflected a modest decline from some of his previous seasons, Kelly remained a viable option out of the bullpen in what proved to be his final year in uniform.

Kelly's tenure with the Dodgers was defined not only by his on-field contributions but also by his outsized personality and his willingness to inject energy into the clubhouse and onto the field. He became a cultural figure within the Dodgers organization, a status that was formalized in a tangible way during the final month of the 2023 regular season when famed artist Jonas Never unveiled a mural of Kelly on the reserve level at Dodger Stadium. The mural depicted Kelly in his "Mariachi Joe" persona, a character and identity that had emerged organically from his connection with the Dodgers fanbase. Kelly himself has spoken about the mural and expressed belief in the superstition surrounding it, noting the Dodgers' World Series success and associating it with the presence of the artwork at the stadium.

Confrontation with the Houston Astros

One of the defining episodes of Kelly's career was his confrontation with the Houston Astros, which occurred in the broader context of the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. The scandal, in which the Astros were found to have illegally stolen signs from opposing teams during their 2017 championship season and beyond, created intense anger across baseball, particularly among players and fans of teams the Astros had defeated. Kelly, who had been outspoken in his criticism of the Astros, became a folk hero of sorts when he threw pitches near Astros hitters during a game and subsequently made exaggerated facial expressions that went viral on social media.

In interviews following the end of his playing career, Kelly has continued to discuss the Astros situation with characteristic candor. In a February 2026 interview, he revealed details about how he first learned about the Astros' sign-stealing during a game, further illustrating the real-time confusion and anger that players experienced when they began to suspect something was amiss. Kelly has never been one to hold back his words on the subject, and his willingness to confront the Astros — both verbally and on the mound — became one of the most memorable storylines of that period in baseball history.

End of Playing Career

On December 2025, Kelly announced the end of his playing career after thirteen major league seasons. He shared the news during an interview with WEEI.com's Rob Bradford. True to his personality, Kelly notably refused to characterize his departure from the game as a retirement. In an interview with the New York Post, he stated that the word "retired" was "so disrespectful," preferring instead to frame his decision in other terms. The distinction, while lighthearted, reflected Kelly's long-standing approach to the game — one marked by humor, defiance, and a refusal to conform to conventional expectations.

The announcement came after his 2024 season with the Dodgers, in which he appeared in 35 games. Kelly's decision to step away from the game concluded a career that had spanned more than a decade and included stints with multiple organizations, memorable postseason moments, and a cultural footprint that extended well beyond his statistical contributions.

Career Statistics Summary

According to FanGraphs, Kelly's career totals included 485 games, 81 starts, 839.0 innings pitched, a 21.1% strikeout rate, a 9.8% walk rate, and a 51.8% ground ball rate. His final season with the Dodgers in 2024 saw him post a 24.5% strikeout rate and an 11.2% walk rate across 32.0 innings in 35 relief appearances.

Personal Life

Kelly has been known throughout his career for his colorful and outspoken personality. His refusal to use the word "retired" when announcing the end of his playing career in December 2025 exemplified his irreverent approach to public life. When speaking with reporters, he told the New York Post that calling it retirement was "so disrespectful," a comment that was widely shared and received with amusement among fans and media members.

Kelly's connection to the Dodgers fanbase extended into the realm of superstition and popular culture. The "Mariachi Joe" persona that he cultivated became so popular among fans that it was commemorated with a mural at Dodger Stadium, painted by artist Jonas Never during the 2023 season. Kelly has spoken openly about his belief in the superstitious significance of the mural, connecting it to the Dodgers' postseason success.

Even after stepping away from playing, Kelly has remained engaged with the sport and has continued to share his views on topics such as the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. In a February 2026 interview, he discussed the experience of realizing during a game that the Astros were stealing signs, a revelation that fueled his subsequent on-field confrontations with the team.

Recognition

"Mariachi Joe" and Cultural Impact

Kelly's cultural impact on the Dodgers franchise was recognized in a distinctive fashion during the 2023 season when artist Jonas Never painted a mural of Kelly in his "Mariachi Joe" persona on the reserve level at Dodger Stadium. The mural was unveiled during the final month of the 2023 regular season and became a point of pride for both Kelly and the Dodgers fanbase. Kelly has publicly endorsed the superstition surrounding the mural, expressing his belief that it contributed to the team's World Series winning streak.

Kelly's confrontation with the Houston Astros over the sign-stealing scandal also brought him significant national attention. His exaggerated facial expressions during a game against the Astros became one of the most widely shared images in baseball during that period, and he was embraced by fans across the sport — particularly those whose teams had been victimized by the Astros' cheating. His continued willingness to discuss the subject publicly, including in a February 2026 interview in which he detailed how he discovered the sign-stealing during a game, has kept him in the public conversation even after his playing days ended.

Post-Playing Career Media Presence

Following the announcement of the end of his playing career, Kelly has continued to receive media attention. His decision not to use the word "retired" generated coverage from outlets including the New York Post and MLB Trade Rumors. His ongoing commentary on baseball topics, particularly the Astros scandal, has ensured that his voice remains part of the sport's public discourse.

Legacy

Joe Kelly's thirteen-year major league career produced a statistical record that reflected a durable and versatile pitcher — one who successfully transitioned from a starting role to a relief role and maintained his effectiveness in the bullpen over multiple seasons. His career totals of 485 games, 839.0 innings, and a 51.8% ground ball rate attest to his longevity and his ability to generate outs at the major league level.

However, Kelly's legacy extends well beyond his numbers. His willingness to stand up to the Houston Astros in the aftermath of the sign-stealing scandal made him a symbolic figure in baseball's reckoning with one of its most significant cheating controversies. For many fans, Kelly's actions on the mound and his unapologetic public statements represented the kind of accountability that they felt was lacking from the league's official response to the scandal.

At Dodger Stadium, Kelly's legacy is literally painted on the walls. The "Mariachi Joe" mural by Jonas Never serves as a permanent reminder of his connection to the Dodgers fanbase and the cultural impact he had on the organization during his time in Los Angeles. Kelly embraced the persona fully, and it became one of the more distinctive examples of a player's identity merging with a team's broader culture in recent baseball history.

Kelly's refusal to call his departure from baseball a "retirement" was, in many ways, a fitting final act for a player who consistently defied convention throughout his career. Whether through his on-field intensity, his confrontations with opposing teams, his colorful public statements, or his embrace of an alter ego beloved by fans, Kelly carved out a unique niche in the sport. His thirteen seasons in the major leagues may not have produced Hall of Fame numbers, but they produced a career that was consistently entertaining and at times genuinely consequential in the broader narrative of the game.

The Dodgers' continued association with Kelly's image — through the mural and through the team's World Series success during his tenure — suggests that his contributions to the franchise will be remembered for years to come. In a sport that often celebrates its characters as much as its champions, Joe Kelly's place in the modern history of baseball appears secure.