Merrill Kelly is back with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a new contract worth $40 million over two years, according to someone familiar with the situation. The Associated Press was told the deal isn’t official yet and will require a physical examination before it’s finalized.
The right-handed starter spent the first six and a half years of his MLB career with the Diamondbacks before being traded at the July deadline to the Texas Rangers. Across his stints with both teams this season, Kelly posted a combined 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA.
Kelly’s return to the Phoenix area isn’t surprising to many, given his Scottsdale roots and his collegiate days at Arizona State. He’s long been a fan favorite, notably contributing to the D-backs’ 2023 World Series run, posting a 12-8 record with a 3.29 ERA that year and delivering a standout performance in Game 2 of the World Series against the Rangers—the lone win for Arizona in that Fall Classic.
At 37, Kelly isn’t an overpowering pitcher, but his game is built around deception and a diverse six-pitch mix that keeps hitters off balance. He has carved out a durable MLB career despite not reaching the majors until age 30 in 2019.
His path to the big leagues started when the Rays drafted him in 2010. He spent time in Triple-A before choosing to sign with the SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization, where he pitched from 2015 to 2018 and went 48-32 with a 3.86 ERA.
The Diamondbacks originally signed him to a four-year, $14.5 million contract in 2018. They later agreed to an $18 million, two-year deal in 2022 that covered the 2023 and 2024 seasons and included a club option for 2025, which the team exercised.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
