Merrill Kelly Returns to the Diamondbacks

Merrill Kelly, widely recognized as one of the standout starting pitchers in a less competitive market this offseason, has decided to make a comeback to the team where he spent most of his major league tenure.

The 37-year-old right-hander agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal, with Jon Heyman of the Post confirming his return to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Originally, Kelly played over six seasons with Arizona before being traded to Texas at last season’s trade deadline. He’s been quite consistent, starting at least 30 games in three out of the last four seasons and certainly earned a significant pay increase from the $7 million he made last year.

His journey has been quite interesting; it includes spending seven years in the Tampa Bay minor league system and four years playing in South Korea. He finally made his MLB debut with the Diamondbacks in 2019 at the age of 30. In 2022, he really stood out by starting 33 games and pitching a career-high 200 1/3 innings, pretty much securing his spot in the rotation.

In the 2023 playoffs, he also delivered a strong performance, helping Arizona reach the World Series for the first time since 2017 before they eventually lost to Texas. Interestingly, even before the trade to the Rangers, it seemed like Kelly was inclined to return to the Diamondbacks for the upcoming season.

“The front office knows how much I love being here and being home. I know my wife loves being here and being home,” Kelly mentioned back in July. It’s funny how personal connections can shape professional decisions, isn’t it? He added that after the 31st, thinking about anything else but being here just didn’t seem possible.

If you’re curious about other starting pitchers still on the free agent market, names like Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, Michael King, Lucas Giolito, and Zac Gallen might catch your eye.