Red Sox’s Joe Kelly worried Yankees fans will throw things at him

The Yankees and Red Sox will face each other for the first time since their brawl Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. (5/8/18)

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Joe Kelly isn’t worried about the boos because he knows they’re coming, according to a report from the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham.

No, Kelly said, he’s concerned about what might him him, the report said.

“Maybe I’ll need an umbrella,” Kelly said, via the report. “I hope nothing gets thrown or poured on us.”

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Kelly, a Red Sox reliever, expects harsh treatment when Boston visits the Yankees for a three-game set starting Tuesday night.

It will be the first time the teams have faced each other since they brawled once and their benches cleared twice April 11 at Fenway Park.

That night, Tyler Austin charged the mound after Kelly hit him in the arm with a fastball and Kelly basically asked him to fight, yelling, “Let’s go!” 

That caused both benches to pour onto the field. Multiple players fought and coaches yelled at each other. Kelly was suspended six games. Austin was suspended four games, after having his initial ban dropped one game via appeal. Kelly lost his appeal.

The bad blood started when Austin’s leg popped up sliding into second base. He cleated Red Sox shortstop Brock Holt and Austin and Holt went nose to nose yelling at each other. Benches cleared then, too, but nobody fought.

Austin has said he doesn’t expect any problems with Kelly this time around.

“If I face him,” Austin said Sunday at Yankee Stadium, “I expect it to be a normal at-bat. I don’t expect any more controversy, I should say. So I think it should be business as usual.”

Kelly, however, seemed really worried fans might throw stuff at him, the Globe report said.

“I just hope people don’t throw stuff in the bullpen. Say whatever you want and be loud. That’ll be fine,” Kelly said, according to the report. “If I get booed, so what? There are worse things in life.”

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.