Dodgers Injury News: Dave Roberts Provides Update on Joe Kelly

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Joe Kelly found himself on the 15-day injured list on Sunday, retroactive to August 10, with what the organization termed as right forearm inflammation.

Kelly's IL stint is a significant loss to an LA bullpen that had seen their performance improve over the past month, with the returning Dodger being a big part of that since being re-acquired in the leadup to MLB's August 1 trade deadline.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided an update on the hard-throwing right-hander on Sunday, and the injury looks like it shouldn't impact Kelly long term.

Dave Roberts said Joe Kelly had been dealing with a bothersome elbow this year. Kelly said he could go, but the Dodgers wanted to be proactive and get him on the IL (backdated to Aug 10) and look to get him back when the 15 days are up.
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) August 13, 2023

Kelly has been a standout since he's been back in the familiar territory that is the Dodgers bullpen, putting up four scoreless outings since being traded back to Los Angeles in late July.

The 35-year-old was grabbed from the Chicago White Sox in order to provide bullpen depth to a relief group that has been steadily improving since late May.

The team's bullpen has put up a collective 4.05 ERA, significantly better than the mark north of five that they had earlier in the season.

With the relievers finding their usual rhythm and the Dodgers holding a strong eight and a half game lead in the NL West as of Monday afternoon, that gives them the cushion to rest their newest relief arm until the last week of August.

That's the smarter long term play given where the team stands, and once Kelly makes his way back in just 11 days, he'll be another weapon for a bullpen that's been one of the better in the major leagues of late.