Kelly watched from the bullpen Monday as manager John Farrell went with left-hander Robby Scott and right-hander Heath Hembree to pitch the eighth inning in Boston's 5-3 win over the Pirates, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal reports. Farrell said following the game that he will have to mix and match "without a lockdown eighth-inning guy."
It was surprising to hear the manager's comments after he anointed Kelly the fill-in setup guy once it became apparent that Tyler Thornburg (shoulder) was going to start the season on the 10-day disabled list. Kelly looked the part of a setup guy last September, but his inability to consistently throw strikes reared its ugly head again this spring, as he walked eight in 9.2 innings. Until Kelly improves his strike-throwing, he won't be the only eighth-inning option in Boston.