Tensions boiled over when the Dodgers faced the Astros, reigniting bad blood from the 2017 World Series cheating scandal. Joe Kelly took the mound and immediately started struggling with control. Down 3-0 in the count to Alex Bregman, Kelly looked like he made a decision: don’t pitch around him, just send a message. He fired a 96 mph fastball behind Bregman’s head, forcing the Astros third baseman to hit the dirt. Kelly acted indifferent, telling his infield to turn a double play while barely stifling a yawn.
Then it got weirder. Kelly tried a sneaky pickoff throw, aiming for Bregman’s ribs as he dove back to the bag. People in the dugout started chirping, and Kelly clearly leaned into the villain role. He followed all that with four straight balls to walk the next batter, then faced Carlos Correa. Still unable to locate the fastball, Kelly stuck with breaking stuff, eventually striking out Correa on a low pitch. That’s when things blew up. Kelly stared him down, muttered “nice swing,” and made a pouty face, mocking Correa. The Astros shortstop responded with some WWE-level antics, slamming his gear and shouting back.
Benches didn’t clear, but both sides jawed across the field. Dusty Baker barked from the dugout, standing up for his players. In the end, Kelly sent a clear message without offering much on the scoreboard. He couldn’t find the zone, probably should have been pulled earlier, but made sure everyone watching knew this was personal. Correa and Bregman stayed mostly composed, given the circumstances. Kelly didn’t try to hide it—he meant to stir the pot. And he did.