Merrill Kelly's Return Pushed Out Beyond the All Star Break

The Diamondbacks are being extremely cautious not to rush Kelly through his rehab process

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

Each day Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo addresses the media and each day he gives a health update on the various injured players. In the case of Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez, it's seemed like the forward progress has been slower than expected.

Rodriguez is having an MRI on his left shoulder Saturday afternoon, but Lovullo did not know the results yet. However presuming those results are showing the healing they are looking for, Rodriguez will increase his distances from 105 to 120, and then progress to flat grounds and up onto a bullpen mound in not too much longer. There is still an outside shot that he could return by the All Star break, or very shortly after.

The timeline for Kelly's recovery and return from his right shoulder strain however is clearly much slower. Over the last several weeks since he had an MRI and was cleared to begin throwing, the reports from Lovullo have shown slow, cautious progress.

"Kelly is throwing out to 60 feet. Kelly is throwing out to 75 feet", etc. But it's notable that the distance reported has not changed over the last week or so. The next marker to look for is 90 feet, then 105.

Asked directly today whether Kelly was past the point where he could get back by the All Star Break Lovullo confirmed that was indeed the case.

"It might be a little bit after the All Star break..........We've got to wait a little extra time on the front side to get him back for the remaining month and half of baseball or two months of baseball. We'll sign up for that."

The hope is that Zac Gallen can return no later than June 27th and that Rodriguez makes it back just after the All Star Break. In the meantime the D-backs will need to keep trying to win games without their top starters.

Despite inconsistency in the rotation from the young replacement starters, the D-backs are 9-4 in the month of June and sit in a three way tie with the Reds and Nationals, just 0.5 games out of the third Wild Card spot behind the Cardinals. (as of 4:30 P.M. Saturday Night, prior to the D-backs game against the White Sox.)