Joe Kelly's retirement decision shows exactly the type of club Dodgers are running

Joe Kelly is, by all accounts, a Los Angeles Dodgers fan favorite. He might not have been a star on the mound for the team, but his actions off the field won the hearts of Dodgers fans all over.

From making fun of the New York Yankees after the team won the World Series, to mocking the cheating Houston Astros, to giving Shohei Ohtani the No. 17 (while receiving a nice prize in return), Kelly more than made his mark as a Dodger. So much so, in fact, that he is threatening retirement over having to finish his career with another team.

“I would blame it on the shoulder. If I had to play anywhere else, I wouldn’t play,” Kelly said on The Dodgers Bleed Los Podcast. It appears to be Dodgers or retirement for the 36-year-old. If that doesn't scream good things about L.A., I don't know what does.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB offseason.

Joe Kelly's ultimatum speaks volumes about the Dodgers organization

It isn't as if Kelly has only been on the Dodgers. The right-hander was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, has played for four different MLB teams and has made more appearances with the Boston Red Sox than he has with Los Angeles. This kind of loyalty is something to take note of.

Now, the question is do the Dodgers even want him back? Kelly is almost certainly a great fit in the clubhouse in Los Angeles, but he has not put together a quality season since 2021 — his last year during his first stint with the organization. This past season saw him post a 4.78 ERA in 35 regular season appearances. He missed substantial time due to injury and did not throw a single postseason pitch for the eventual World Series champions.

The Dodgers have not made any bullpen additions other than re-signing Blake Treinen so far this offseason, so it's certainly possible that the team will choose to bring Kelly back. However, considering the fact that he struggled when he was able to pitch this past season, has not fared well in a season since 2021 and hasn't had a fully healthy season in even longer than that, it's far from a slam dunk.

Whether Kelly is back or not, he will always be beloved by Dodgers fans. His unwillingness to entertain other teams might end up coming back to bite him when it comes to pitching in 2025, but that stance says a lot about the culture that the Dodgers have built. The combination of being in Los Angeles and playing for the defending World Series champions is too good for at least one player to pass up on, even if that means not pitching at all.