Here’s a name you probably didn’t expect to see in the news in 2024. Former SF Giants pitcher Casey Kelly has returned to the Major Leagues after his contract was selected by the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.

Kelly is not the first Giants player to return to the major leagues this season after an extended absence. Albert Suárez is coming off a solid season with the Baltimore Orioles after last appearing in the major leagues with the Giants in 2017. The veteran pitcher has posted a 3.18 ERA in 25 appearances for Baltimore.

Kelly has had a fascinating professional career and continues to find opportunities to pitch. He was selected in the first round of the 2008 draft by the Boston Red Sox out of Sarasota High School. The veteran pitcher was considered one of the best prospects in baseball and was ranked 45th to 100th. Baseball America before the 2013 season.

This also made him an attractive transfer target. The Red Sox sent him, along with Anthony Rizzo and Ray Fuentes, to the San Diego Padres in a deal that sent Adrián González to Boston in 2010. Kelly and Rizzo were both considered key players in the trade from San Diego’s perspective.

Like Suárez, Kelly is hoping for a late-career comeback. The right-handed pitcher briefly pitched for the Giants at the end of the 2018 season. He posted a 3.04 ERA with 16 strikeouts and five walks in 23.2 innings for San Francisco. The coaching staff liked his style of attacking the zone and had hoped he would stay with the club. However, he was offered a chance to pitch overseas and he took it.

This proved to be a career-changing move for Kelly. He went on to have a strong career with the LG Twins of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). In six seasons with the Twins, he posted a 3.25 ERA and started at least 25 times in each season. He was both effective and durable.

Kelly returned to the U.S. earlier this month after signing a minor league contract with the Reds. He posted a 4.50 ERA in two appearances in Triple-A. Overall, the 34-year-old has posted a 5.46 ERA in parts of four major league seasons, with his best outing coming with the Giants. A player’s career can take many twists and turns, but after a lengthy absence, Kelly is back in the major leagues.