""Retiring is like, something that my grandmother did....I'm sorry all you people out there watching this that work a real job. You guys deserve to retire, athletes don't," Kelly said. "We just stop [expletive] playing, okay? Let's cancel the word 'retirement.' It's used for people who [expletive] served in the military, used for people who worked until 65...When athletes are done playing, just say 'congratulations, they're no longer playing.'""
""Kelly last played during the 2024 season, tossing 32 regular-season innings for the Dodgers. He didn't sign a contract last winter, and stated last July that he was planning to showcase himself in a throwing session for the Dodgers alone, saying that he only wanted to pitch for Los Angeles if he returned at all. That session came and went without any fanfare, and Kelly told Bradford that continued injury problems convinced him to hang up the glove.""
The 37-year-old right-handed reliever decided to end a 13-season Major League career after persistent injuries. He rejected the term "retirement," arguing that athletes should not use the word reserved for long-term workers or military veterans. The reliever last appeared in 2024, pitching 32 regular-season innings for the Dodgers and opting not to sign a contract last winter. A planned Dodgers-only throwing session failed to generate a comeback, and recurring strains during throwing convinced him to stop pitching. High velocity defined the career, with a 95 mph average in 2012, 98.2 mph over his final eight seasons, and a peak over 102 mph. A third-round pick by the Cardinals in 2009.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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