After the Mets beat up Braves starter Bud Norris, right-hander Casey Kelly did enough to keep the score manageable and avoid more wear on the bullpen.
It wasn’t enough for a victory because the Braves’ offense couldn’t overcome the 4-0 deficit. But Kelly’s Braves debut was a success because he ably filled the long reliever role while limiting the Mets to one run over three innings on Friday at Turner Field.
“He’s a guy that kind of saved the bullpen for us,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He kept us right there. That’s some valuable innings.”
The Braves recalled Kelly from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. He made just his second relief appearance in the big leagues after starting eight of nine games for the Padres split between the 2012 and 2015 seasons.
Kelly is making a comeback after he underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in March 2013. The Braves acquired Kelly and minor-league catcher Ricardo Rodriguez from the Padres in December in exchange for catcher Christian Bethancourt.
“When I got traded over I was super excited about a fresh start,” Kelly said. “To be able to get back up here and get my feet wet a little bit just builds the confidence. I think I will be better off for my next time out”
