Merrill Kelly has no ill will toward the Arizona Diamondbacks. Months after the team traded him to the Texas Rangers, Kelly reportedly returned to his former franchise, agreeing to a two-year, $40 million deal to re-join Arizona, per multiple reports.
Kelly, 37, is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.52 ERA over 184 innings split between the Diamondbacks and Rangers.
Kelly’s career has taken quite a few turns since he was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010. After putting up solid numbers in the minors with the Rays, Kelly never got the call to the majors. He eventually decided to play in Korea, signing with the SK Wyverns in 2015 and spending four years in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO).
He decided to try a return to the majors in 2019, and signed a two-year deal with the Diamondbacks. His first year back wasn’t smooth. Kelly had a 4.91 ERA over his first 27 starts in the majors. Threatened with a demotion, Kelly rebounded down the stretch, posting a 2.18 ERA over his final five starts. Those starts may have saved his MLB career.
Kelly looked solid in just five starts in 2020 before an injury shut him down for the season. He put up an average year in 2021, posting a 4.44 ERA over 158 innings.
The following year, however, Kelly found another gear. He led the league with 33 starts, posting a 3.37 ERA over 200 1/3 innings. Those improvements have stuck. Since 2022, Kelly has a 3.47 ERA over 108 starts in the majors.
He became the Diamondbacks’ de-facto ace over that period, and started Game 2 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers in 2023.
Kelly isn’t known for elite velocity or big strikeout numbers, instead succeeding thanks to a large repertoire of pitches and pinpoint location. That can sometimes be a tough line to walk in the majors, but it has helped Kelly remain effective as he’s hit his upper-30s. While he’s dealt with some injuries during his career, Kelly has mostly been durable, tossing at least 150 innings or more in four of his last five years
The Diamondbacks clearly believe Kelly can continue to put up strong numbers despite his age, reportedly signing him through his age-38 season. The team will need him early, as ace Corbin Burnes is recovering from Tommy John surgery to start the 2026 MLB season.
Kelly might not be the flashiest starter, but he’s proven to be a valuable rotation piece after some early-career struggles. After a brief departure in Texas, it’s only fitting that Kelly returns to Arizona — the place he blossomed into a reliable pitcher — for one more ride.
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