Keone Kela


Keone Cole Kela is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. He previously played for the Texas Rangers.

Early life

Kela attended Carson Senior High School in Carson, California, and graduated from Chief Sealth High School in Seattle, Washington. He was chosen by the Seattle Mariners in the 29th round of the 2011 MLB draft, but did not sign and enrolled at Everett Community College, where he played college baseball as a center fielder for one season.

Career

Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers selected Kela as a pitcher in the 12th round, with the 396th overall selection, of the 2012 MLB draft. Kela signed with the Rangers following the draft.
In 2013, Kela reached the Class A South Atlantic League. He started the 2014 season in Class A-Advanced, and was promoted to the Frisco RoughRiders of the Class AA Texas League. The Rangers invited Kela to spring training in 2015. Kela made the Rangers' Opening Day roster. He collected his first career win against the Oakland Athletics on May 2, 2015. Kela finished his 2015 season with a 2.39 earned run average. He had elbow surgery and missed three months of the 2016 season. He pitched to a 5-1 record with a 6.09 ERA in 35 games in 2016.
After he showed an unprofessional lack of effort in a minor league intrasquad game, the Rangers decided to option Kela to the Round Rock Express of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League for the start of the 2017 season. He made 39 appearances for the Rangers in 2017, missing time with a stiff right shoulder. After the 2017 season, Kela underwent stem-cell therapy to treat his right shoulder. Kela became the Rangers closer in 2018.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On July 31, 2018, the Rangers traded Kela to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Taylor Hearn and Sherten Apostel.
In an April 7, 2019 game against the Cincinnati Reds, Kela was ejected after his role in a bench clearing incident involving Chris Archer, Derek Dietrich, Yasiel Puig, Amir Garrett, David Bell, and Felipe Vázquez. On July 30, 2019, Kela was involved in a second bench-clearing francas against the Reds, and was suspended for 2 games on August 1.

Personal

When Kela was born, his mother was only 16 years old, and his father was just 15 years old. Though Kela was born in Los Angeles, much of his father's family is from Hawaii. His grandparents are from Keaukaha on the Big Island, where Kela spent each summer, enjoying Puhi Bay and Hilo.