Kevin Kelly Has Had An Impressive Rookie Season For Tampa Bay Rays

Perhaps as part of his rookie initiation, as well as payback for missing a game due his sister’s wedding, Kevin Kelly could have put on a chef’s hat instead of a cowboy hat. His teammates could have insisted he whip up dinner. After all, the righthanded reliever enjoys cooking, especially Asian stir-fry recipes. He also bakes cookies. What a feast the team could have had.

Alas, dressing up as a cowboy and going through pregame warmups in the outfit prior to the Rays’ July 17 game in Arlington against the Rangers had to suffice.

“That was certainly interesting,” said the 25-year-old Kelly, grinning from ear to ear. “I thought it was funny. I got so many more messages about that compared to anything else I have done the whole season.”

What Kelly has done this season for Tampa Bay has been impressive, including a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless appearances (20 1/3 innings) that stretched two months. He allowed one hit in 11 1/3 innings over 10 appearances in June.

“I wasn’t really thinking about (the scoreless string) because, especially with relievers, there is a lot of luck involved and lot of things out of your control,” said Kelly, a Georgia native who moved to Virginia when he was eight. “I really don’t get too caught up in hits, runs and stuff like that. If I am not walking a lot of guys and I am getting some strikeouts, I am good with it.”

The product of James Madison University was certainly good with making a major-league roster for the first time. As a selection in December’s Rule 5 draft, Kelly had to make the Rays out of spring training or be returned to Cleveland, which drafted him in the 19^th round in 2019. A strong Grapefruit League effort that included a 2.38 ERA through his first 10 appearances cemented his spot in the bullpen.

“It was unbelievable,” he said of making the team. “I didn’t really know how to feel because, like, it was so cool.”

While making the team was a big deal, Kelly knew not to get too high or too low over his outings, especially early in the season. He also knew being a Rule 5 selection meant he was going nowhere.

“I took it day to day,” he said. “You can’t look too far ahead or be too concerned about what happened previously. In this game, you never know where you are going to wind up or anything like that. I am lucky being a Rule 5. They have to keep me up here if they want to keep me around.”

In addition to his scoreless streak, Kelly did not allow a home run in his first 36 outings, 41 2/3 innings and 171 batters. Those are rather eye-opening numbers in and of themselves, especially when considering how batters swing for the fences is this launch-angle era. Indeed, Kelly’s command of his sinker (generally 88-90 mph) and sweeper (75-78) from a lower arm angle has kept the ball away from the barrel.

It is nothing new, though, as he allowed only one homer in 57 1/3 innings (251 batters) between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus in Cleveland’s system last season. He had a ground-ball rate of 62.2 percent in 33 innings with Columbus. His rate this season is 48.4, about four points higher than the MLB average of 44.7.

“It’s throwing sinkers to righties, but there is obviously a lot of luck involved, too,” he said. “I could give up three homers in my next two outings and (those stats) would not be that interesting anymore. I think I keep the ball on the ground a little more than average and that definitely helps.”

It helps to have a pitching coach like Kyle Snyder. In six seasons with the Rays, the 45-year-old Snyder has been widely praised for his work with the many arms the team has employed while consistently being at or near the top of MLB in several statistical categories.

“He knows how to separate the mechanical and the field-based stuff from the analytical side and how to mesh them together really well,” said Kelly, who has a degree in computer science from JMU and who learned many programming concepts from his mother, Terri, while being homeschooled through age 15. “It is good to get Kyle’s perspective on all that stuff.”

Snyder has enjoyed working with such a diligent young pitcher, one who has made quite an impression.

“He was already good when we acquired him,” he said. “It was just a matter of helping him understand how his stuff is best put to work and the importance of controlling the count. He has a unique approach angle, so there is a deceptive element to that, but also his pitch profile does not allow for much lift. When you command it the way he commands it, it makes it more difficult.”

Kelly has had a blast in his rookie season while being used in virtually every situation out of the bullpen for a team that was in first or tied for first in the American League East through its first 99 games before falling behind Baltimore.

“It’s been great,” he said. “I think recently we haven’t had as much luck as we did earlier this season, but we can turn it around. We’re in a good spot.”

So is Kevin Kelly, no matter what hat he wears.