Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Pitcher Joe Kelly has never been shy about expressing how he feels about anything. This is especially true when he feels an opponent has slighted him.
Kelly, who famously became a meme in 2020 when he mocked then Astros shortstop Carlos Correa following the sign-stealing scandal that led to Houston winning the 2017 World Series. (Joe’s wife Ashley is also pretty solid when it comes to talking trash.)
After soundly beating the New York in last year’s World Series, Joe Kelly was not afraid to disparage the Yankees for their poor play.
Joe Kelly absolutely unloads on the Yankees and pretty much calls them the worst team that made the playoffs lol pic.twitter.com/qNWl0q6Gzz
— Blake Harris (@BlakeHHarris) November 4, 2024
Kelly and Dodgers teammate Chris Taylor also went on Mookie Betts’ podcast and continued to bash the Yankees for their poor play with Taylor at one point saying New York “s— down their leg.”
So, after Yankees manager Aaron Boone took a shot at the Los Angeles Dodgers for how they behaved after beating the Bronx Bombers in last year’s World Series, Joe Kelly, of course, wasn’t going to sit idly by and just take it.
“The reality is we didn’t play our best in the series and they won, so they had that right to say whatever,” Boone told the media recently. “Hopefully, we’re in that position next year and handle things with a little more class. But the reality is it’s a great team, it’s a great organization with a lot of great people that I happen to know and respect, too. So a few people sounding off isn’t necessarily how I would want to draw it up.”
Joe Kelly, who is currently a free agent, apparently heard what Aaron Boone said and decided to double down on mocking the Yankees’ miscues, especially pitcher Gerrit Cole’s brain cramp of not covering first base during a key moment of the World Series.
“I wonder how ground balls are going. PFPs [pitcher fielding practice], ground balls, the little things,” Kelly said. “I got [his son] Knox’s nine-year-old travel ball team, first move after a ground ball is hot to the right side, all of them are breaking. Every single one of them. Every single one of them! Kids that pitch one inning a week know to get over. They’re nine! It’s the ZT Prospects. Nine-years-old. Not one of them forgets to get over. I promise you. I know who does forget to get over. Not the nine-year-old ZT Prospects.”
Morning podcast: Joe Kelly is responding to Aaron Boone, talking spring training speeches and updating his future plans.
Listen: https://t.co/2iRHK1Q2YL pic.twitter.com/LVsDiAibLN— Baseball Isn’t Boring (@BBisntBoring) February 20, 2025
He also took direct aim at Aaron Boone himself, saying, “He’s just so hurt. It’s so sad. When your fearless leader has fear, it’s a little tough to see. Feelings are hurt.”