Merrill Kelly is back where he started. The Arizona Diamondbacks signed the veteran right-hander to a two-year, $40 million deal, bringing him back after trading him to the Texas Rangers at last season’s deadline.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal broke the news Sunday.
It’s an interesting move for a franchise that’s clearly not interested in rebuilding. The Diamondbacks are paying significant money to get back a pitcher they dealt away just months ago.
Kelly spent his entire MLB career in Arizona before that July trade. Seven seasons, a 3.74 ERA, and the kind of consistency that’s hard to replace in the rotation.
He was pitching well before the trade too – 3.22 ERA in 22 starts for Arizona last season. Things didn’t go as smoothly in Texas, where he posted a 4.23 ERA over 10 starts. Small sample, but the Rangers probably weren’t thrilled with what they saw.
Now that Kelly’s 37, there’s obviously some risk here. Age catches up with everyone, and two years is a meaningful commitment for a pitcher entering his late thirties.
But the Diamondbacks clearly felt they needed to fill the rotation spot they created when they traded Kelly away. And when they got the chance to bring him back, they decided he was still their guy.
It’s a vote of confidence in both Kelly’s ability and Arizona’s timeline. They’re not looking to wait around – they want to compete now, even if it means paying premium dollars for a familiar face.
