Zack Kelly’s Painful Exit Adds Drama to Red Sox’s Battle With Blue Jays
So here’s what went down during Sunday’s Red Sox game, and honestly, it was one of those moments that just pulls you right out of your seat. You’re watching the game, maybe thinking it's just another summer afternoon at Fenway, and suddenly—boom—Zack Kelly is walking off the mound mid-inning. Not because of a routine pitching change or strategy shift. No, this was something different. You could see it in his face, in his body language. And yeah, he was clearly hurting.
Kelly had come into the game in the top of the fifth inning and gave up a run. Okay, not great, but manageable. Then came the sixth, and the drama really unfolded. He opens the inning by plunking Toronto’s Andres Gimenez in the foot. While Gimenez was being checked out by the Blue Jays’ medical staff, Kelly called for the Red Sox trainer and manager Alex Cora. That’s when it became clear—he was dealing with something more than just a bad outing.
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From the broadcast and reports, it looked like he was stretching and holding his lower back or oblique area. He gave it a shot, tried a couple of warmup pitches, but that was all he had in the tank. Frustration completely took over—he swore into his glove as he walked off the mound. You could tell how badly he wanted to stay in the game, but his body just wasn’t letting him.
The team later described it as "right oblique tightness," which, if you know pitchers, is not something to brush off lightly. Those kinds of injuries can sideline a guy for weeks if not handled carefully. What's kind of surprising is what followed the next day—Kelly wasn’t placed on the injured list. Instead, the Red Sox optioned him to Triple-A Worcester. That raised a few eyebrows. If he’s hurt, why not the IL? Maybe it's a roster move tied to Jordan Hicks being activated, but it definitely leaves a few question marks hanging.
Kelly had been recalled back in late May after an earlier stint in Triple-A, and going into Sunday, his ERA was sitting at 5.40. Not lights-out numbers, but still, he’s a depth piece the Sox have leaned on.
This situation shows just how unpredictable a season can be for a bullpen arm—called up, pitching through discomfort, trying to prove himself, and suddenly walking off the mound mid-inning while swearing into a glove. The physical and emotional toll is real.
For fans, it's another reminder that every inning counts—not just for wins and losses, but for the people on the mound giving it everything they’ve got.
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