Back to the Los Angeles Dodgers Newsfeed

Joe Kelly’s wife offered Shohei Ohtani No. 17. Can she get credit for Dodgers signing Japanese star?

Shohei Ohtani is a Dodger, and the wife of relief pitcher Joe Kelly may be able to take some of the credit.

Ohtani ended months of speculation Saturday by announcing he would sign with the Dodgers as a free agent. He had spent all six years of his Major League Baseball career with the Angels, wearing jersey No. 17 as he was earning two American League MVP awards and becoming a two-way phenomenon.

It’s the same jersey number Kelly, who had just re-signed with the Dodgers for one year and $8 million, has worn since 2019.