The Athletics designated Kelly for assignment Monday.
The Athletics made several transactions Monday and needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, resulting in Kelly being DFA'd. Before being sent down to Triple-A Las Vegas, the 34-year-old right-hander struggled mightily in his last major-league appearance May 31, when he allowed six runs on six hits and two walks while striking out two across two-thirds of an inning against the Yankees. Kelly has spent most of the 2026 season in Triple-A, where he submitted a 3.20 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 30:10 K:BB across 25.1 innings.