It was a big day on the Major League Baseball calendar on Monday.

The 2026 World Series wrapped up last week, and the deadline for players and teams to make option decisions and get 40-man rosters into compliance came and went on Monday night. For the Boston Red Sox, they still had work to do to get the roster into compliance. This ended up negatively impacting flamethrower Zack Kelly, who reportedly has been designated for assignment, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

"Red Sox designated Zack Kelly for assignment, sources say," Cotillo wrote. "Kelly is entering 2027 out of options for the first time (and arb-eligible) but considering past success/pitch mix, will surely draw interest elsewhere. Red Sox can still move him in a small trade in the coming days."

The Red Sox DFA'd Zack Kelly

This is a tough update for a hurler who was a fan favorite in Boston. Kelly made his big league debut in 2022 after working his way up for five years down in the minors. He made his professional debut in 2017 in the Athletics' organization after signing as an undrafted free agent for a $500 signing bonus. He was an underdog and bounced between the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels before even ending up in the Red Sox's organization in 2021. That year, Boston gave him a shot in the big leagues and he impressed with a 3.95 ERA in 13 appearances. The best season of his big league career, so far, came in 2024. That year, he had a 3.97 ERA in 49 total appearances.

In 2026, he pitched in just 17 games in the majors and had a 3.31 ERA. He spent time down in the minors and got hurt. Kelly was an underdog in the Red Sox's organization and Boston fans grew to love him.

Now, he's out there for the taking. With Kelly being DFA'd, clubs have a chance to place a waiver claim on him if they see fit. If so, he'll exit the organization. He also still technically could be traded. At the very least, he's being designated for assignment right now, which means that he's off the 40-man roster. Technically, he could still stick around in the organization if he goes unclaimed and is outrighted down to the minors and he doesn't head to free agency.

For now, Kelly is off the 40-man roster, but the story around Kelly isn't completely over yet. More information should come out in the coming days.