Merrill Kelly Hopes to be Back Mid-August for the Stretch Run

Merrill Kelly dives deep into his hopes of being a career-long D-backs player and how he wants to sign an extension with Arizona.

Apr 9, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks longtime Co-Ace, Merrill Kelly, spoke with reporters and then fans at the Diamondbacks Watch Party Friday night at Guy Fieri’s DTPHX Kitchen + Bar. He spoke at length about his rehab with his injured shoulder and about how he wants to be a lifelong Diamondback.

After pitching deeper and more than he ever had in his career last year, Merrill Kelly picked up right where he left off at the start of the 2024 season. Over his first four starts, Kelly pitched 24.2 innings and had a 2.19 ERA. He allowed 17 hits, six runs, six walks, and 21 strikeouts.

However, when he was throwing in between starts in late April, he suffered a right shoulder strain and got put on the Injured List on April 23rd.

Since then, he's been rehabbing at Salt River Fields, working hard to get back. At this point, he's throwing out to 75 feet while the team slowly works him back to the mound.

Asked for his thoughts on the injury, Kelly said " I think when I first went down, it was going to be a little bit of a shorter process...but obviously the imaging showed a little bit differently but I take it day by day but so far so good."

"It's the first time I've ever really dealt with an injury like this. The first time I've ever dealt with soft tissue stuff...Not have too many expectations and look too far ahead. When you start playing that game, I think you're setting yourself up for disappointment."

Merrill Kelly revealed to reporters that he will likely be out longer than what has been reported.

"Originally we thought it was kind of All-Star Break but with how the progression lines up, it's probably a little bit later than that. In my mind, I'm hoping I'm on that Tampa, Miami, and Boston trip. I've wanted to go on that trip all year and that seems to be around the right time that I'm back in there but obviously, things can change as we go along."

That road trip against the Rays, Marlins, and Red Sox is from August 16th to the 25th. That is roughly a month after the All-Star Break and would set him up for six or so weeks to help the D-backs in the stretch run for the playoffs.

Over his 15-year-long professional baseball career, this is his first ever injury with a soft tissue. "This is kind of my first time really going through this other than the blood clot we had last year but this is the true time that I really feel like I'm not necessarily earning my stripes."

"I just had a couple of different things in my shoulder that were strained. It was kind of just the perfect storm. I've been lucky in my career."

He believes the strain is due to the "heavy load the last two years...going obviously deep last year so I think it was just a little bit of a mixture of throwing a lot and I'm also getting up there in age a little bit. I'm kind of the oldest guy on the team right now. I'll be 36 in October."

He's taking it in stride that while everyone gets hurt at some point, he's thankful that his wasn't too serious.

He spends his days now at Salt River Fields, "whether it's soft tissue work or just modalities...and then if I'm throwing that day, get ready to throw, do all my pre-throw stuff, warm up, and then we go throw and I usually finish with some sort of running and lifting...we have a big red light bed...that's supposed to be good for you. I don't know if it does much but I'm doing it every day, just crossing every T and dot every I so definitely a lot of work goes into it."

As for what it means to be able rehab and sleep in your own bed every night thanks to playing for the Diamondbacks and their Spring Training stadium being in Arizona, Kelly said below

"My friends and family are here so everything feels, obviously no one wants to be in rehab but I think it's a little bit like I said, it's a little bit of a blessing in disguise just because I don't get to have too many summers with my family and my daughter and our friends so it's weird being on the other side of the coin at home."

Being a Diamondback for Life

He spoke further about how much he wants to stay with the Arizona Diamondbacks. " that's one of the reasons why I love it here in Arizona. That's one of the reasons I keep trying to sign and keep trying to talk them into signing me some more. I don't want to go anywhere. "

"This is home for me. You know I want to be here as long as I can."

When asked if the Front Office is aware, Merrill Kelly replied, "They know, they know."

A fan asked him if he can pitch another two or three more years, hopefully with the D-backs.

"For the two or three more years, you're gonna have to talk to Mike Hazen about that. I don't have as much power. I don't know that question as much as I'd like to. If it were up to me, I'd be here for the next five years. My goal was to get to 10 years."

He shared how he needs to find a place to pitch his "seven, eight, nine, ten years" to reach his dream of 10 years. Kelly wants to stay with the D-backs.

"I would love to do it as a Diamondback. I'd love to be a Diamondback my whole career and especially being the Arizona native, I would love to stay here as long as I can but that's a bit above my pay grade for now so we'll circle back to that next year."

Merrill Kelly has a team option for the 2025 season. Provided he finishes the season healthy and picks up similar to where he left off, GM Mike Hazen and company are likely to exercise that option. It will be his age-36 season next year. It's a $7MM option for 2025.

If he performs next year, there's a good chance that the Arizona Diamondbacks will sign Merrill Kelly to a second extension, likely a similar deal to the last one where he gets two guaranteed years and two option years, due to his age and so the D-backs can have control over any future decrease in play or injury.

One thing is for certain, Merrill Kelly wants to retire as a member of his hometown team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.