Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks Finalize Two-Year, $40 Million Deal: Source
Merrill Kelly is making a significant return to the Arizona Diamondbacks after a brief period with the Texas Rangers. According to sources, the 37-year-old pitcher has finalized a two-year contract worth $40 million with the Diamondbacks.
Merrill Kelly’s Career Overview
Kelly has spent the majority of his major-league career with the Diamondbacks before being traded to Texas at the 2025 trade deadline. In his time with Arizona, he developed into a dependable mid-rotation starter, even without elite pitching velocity.
2025 Season Performance
- 32 starts
- 184 innings pitched
- 3.52 ERA
- 1.11 WHIP
Despite these solid statistics, Kelly’s journey to the major leagues was not straightforward. He faced challenges, including spending four seasons in South Korea before making his MLB debut at age 30. Initially, he struggled, facing potential demotion after a coach labeled him “statistically the worst starting pitcher in the National League.”
Resilience and Consistency
From these early setbacks, Kelly established himself as a reliable player. Since 2019, he ranks 19th in the majors for innings pitched, boasting a 3.66 ERA that is comparable to pitchers like Sonny Gray and Dylan Cease. While his strikeout rate does not match that of his peers, he effectively induces swings and controls his walk rate.
Key Achievements
Throughout his six full seasons in the majors, Kelly has demonstrated remarkable durability:
- At least 27 starts in five of those seasons
- WHIP consistently below 1.20 for the past four years
In 2023, he represented Team USA at the World Baseball Classic and excelled in Game 2 of the World Series, where he allowed just one run in seven innings. Although a shoulder strain sidelined him for four months in 2024, he still managed to rank among the top performers in innings pitched last season.
Free Agency and Future Prospects
This winter marked Kelly’s first opportunity to enter free agency since his big-league debut. Originally selected in the eighth round by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2010, he later played in the KBO for the SK Wyverns, achieving a 4.21 ERA over four seasons. In December 2018, Kelly signed a two-year deal worth $5.5 million with the Diamondbacks, paving the way for his MLB career.
Now, with this new contract, Kelly is set to continue making an impact in the league, reaffirming his status as a valuable asset for the Diamondbacks.
