Merrill Kelly signing reaction
[SI] Why Merrill Kelly Signing was a Necessary Risk for Diamondbacks – Kelly does provide what Arizona needs more than anything — reliable innings coverage. While health isn’t a complete guarantee, Kelly generally
is able to deliver five-plus innings each and every start. 2024 is the only season in recent history he hasn’t provided 150 or more frames.And while $40 million isn’t exactly a cheap contract, it’s about as low-risk, low-cost and low-commitment as it gets, outside of a signing like Michael Soroka (who has significantly worse numbers in recent seasons and significantly more injury history).
[AZ Central] Arizona Diamondbacks, Merrill Kelly on verge of reunion – The deal makes sense for both sides. Kelly, who had been pitching for the Diamondbacks on a team-friendly extension before he was sent to Texas in a deadline deal, gets a contract at market value. The Diamondbacks, on the other hand, get the proven starter they desperately needed… Kelly went to high school and college in Arizona and makes his home in Valley, and he made no secret that he was more than open to signing back with the Diamondbacks. However, the club’s payroll situation complicated the possibility of a reunion. The team ultimately found a way to get a deal done.
[Dbacks.com] D-backs bringing back Merrill Kelly on 2-year deal (sources) – Kelly said just before the Trade Deadline, “At this point in my career, I think anything can happen, so the chance to win is obviously in the forefront of my mind. That all being said, I love being here. I have always loved being here. I would always be open to being a snake moving forward.” After inking Mike Soroka to a deal last week, the signing of Kelly helps fill some of the holes in Arizona’s starting rotation. Arizona has discussed trading All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte this offseason to help its rotation and bullpen, and sources indicated the signing of Kelly doesn’t have a big impact on that happening one way or the other.
[Dbacks Under Review] Merrill Kelly Returns to Arizona: D-backs’ Rotation Upgraded – Kelly’s market was more or less set by the two-year, $46 million extension Seth Lugo signed with the Royals. That piece was published three days before the trade, correctly predicting how much it would take to bring him back to Arizona. It made sense that Arizona paid a premium to bring back the 37-year-old Kelly. The number of starters who can provide 30 starts, 180 innings, and a sub-4.00 ERA continues to shrink. The few who can, which includes both Gallen and Kelly, get paid handsomely. That’s why it took $20 million per year to bring him back.
[Arizona Sports] Report: Diamondbacks bringing back longtime pitcher Merrill Kelly – “I’m gonna keep going as long as somebody will give me a big league jersey. I’ve said it multiple times, I would love for that to be here in Arizona,” Kelly told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo back in May. Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro had reported there was mutual interest between Kelly and the Diamondbacks to renew their partnership. This is a huge value win for the Diamondbacks, who added three of their five best pitching prospects via online rankings for a two-month separation. He’ll even be able to help guide some of the young pitchers Arizona acquired for him.
[ESPN] Diamondbacks bring back RHP Merrill Kelly. Grade: B+ – The lofty grade handed out here is not just for this signing, but also for the exemplary work by Mike Hazen and his staff at the deadline. With the Diamondbacks’ status as a contender teetering, and Kelly headed for the market, they brought back three pitching prospects from the Rangers in exchange for loaning them Kelly for a couple of months. Now Kelly is a Snake once more after signing a deal Arizona would surely have given him had he never been dealt. And for their trouble, the Diamondbacks deepened their organizational depth chart.
MLB News
[MLB.com] How this year’s free-agent starters succeed without high velocity – There’s one place you won’t find a lot of velo right now: the starting pitcher free-agent market. Now that Dylan Cease has signed, there just aren’t many free-agent starters this winter who throw hard — at least not in the mid-to-upper levels of the market. That’s pretty interesting… If you’re a team looking for a big fastball to add to your starting rotation right now, there just aren’t a ton of options out there. The top group of MLB starters still available — Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Michael King and Zac Gallen — all sit in the 90-to-94 mph range.
[World Baseball] The Nashville Stars: A Look at Major League Baseball Expansion to the Music City – According to a fan poll from the Sports Business Journal, people thought Nashville was the best place for the MLB to expand to. The poll saw 37% of fans say that Music City was the best location. General told World Baseball Network why he thought the Stars and the state of Tennessee are the best spot to be for the MLB’s next team. “This town is the entertainment capital of the Southeast, of the East — call it whatever you want,” the Director of Marketing stated. “It’s where people want to play. It’s where people want to be. The tourism numbers are through the roof. The dollars spent here when people are vacationing are through the roof.”
[AZ Desert Swarm] Arizona baseball pitching coach John DeRouin taking position with Mets, per report – Pitching was a big reason why Arizona made it back to the College World Series last season. The return of many key arms for 2026 makes it likely the Wildcats will again have a stellar staff. Who guides those pitchers, however, is uncertain. Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star is reporting that pitching coach John DeRouin is leaving the program for a position within the New York Mets organization. DeRouin had been elevated to pitching coach over the summer after Kevin Vance was hired as head coach at San Diego State.
