Merrill Kelly "Optimistic" About Being Ready by Opening Day
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) received cortisone and lidocaine shots in his back last week and was able to play catch on Sunday without issue, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Gilbert reports that Kelly is "optimistic" he will be able to "pitch at the backend" of Arizona's rotation to start the season. The 37-year-old was traded by the Diamondbacks to the Texas Rangers at the 2025 trade deadline, but returned to Arizona in free agency this offseason. Across 184 innings (32 starts) split between the Diamondbacks and Rangers in 2025, Kelly posted a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. It's not a great sign that he's dealing with back issues in spring, particularly given his age. However, it appears as though Kelly could avoid missing time, even if it requires him ramping up to a full workload in his first couple starts of the regular season.
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
Source: MLB.com - Steve Gilbert
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