Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly, 35, will wear the number of Ryu Hyun-jin after relinquishing it to Shohei Ohtani.

Kelly recently relinquished his No. 17. Kelly was an unrestricted free agent after the 2021 season and signed a two-year deal with the Chicago White Sox.

He returned to his former team, the Dodgers, via trade in late July of the 2023 season.

Kelly was eligible for free agency again after the 2023 season, and he signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Dodgers for the 2024 season.

But there was an additional problem.

His number.


Kelly was wearing No. 17 for the Dodgers, and the Dodgers were looking to acquire the “$700 million man,” Ohtani.

Shortly before the Ohtani deal was finalized, local media reported that the Dodgers called Kelly and asked if he would be willing to relinquish his number 17, suggesting that a deal was imminent. 온라인카지노

This turned out to be true.

The Dodgers actually signed Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million deal, and Kelly graciously gave up his number, saying he was “honored to give it up to a player like Ohtani”.

But Kelly chose number 99.

Originally, there was talk that Kelly would choose his rookie number, 58, but he ultimately chose 99.

Kelly’s wife, Ashley Kelly, announced the change in a hilarious selfie video on her personal social media account, creating a huge buzz among fans.

The number 99 was worn by Ryu Hyun-jin for the Dodgers.

Ryu played seven seasons with the Dodgers from 2013-2019, wearing the number 99, which he had worn since the Hanwha Eagles.

After Ryu left the Dodgers, no one else wore the number, and Kelly became the second player to wear the number after Ryu.