Merrill the Mainstay is coming back to Arizona.
The Diamondbacks on Sunday agreed to terms with right-hander Merrill Kelly on a two-year, $40 million contract pending a physical, sources told MLB.com. The club has not confirmed the move.
While he was originally drafted by the Rays in the eighth round in 2010, Kelly, 37, did not reach the Majors with them, and after the 2014 season, he signed a deal to play in Korea for four seasons.
The Diamondbacks signed him in December 2018, and he joined their rotation in 2019.
After initially struggling, Kelly settled in to become a fixture in the Arizona rotation, earning the nickname Merrill the Mainstay.
Aside from the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and 2024, when he suffered a strained right shoulder, Kelly has never made fewer than 27 starts in a season. And when he pitched, you knew you were likely going to get a quality start.
In 172 big league starts, Kelly has a 3.77 ERA and a 113 ERA+.
With the Diamondbacks struggling at last year's Trade Deadline, Kelly was traded to the Rangers for a trio of promising pitching prospects -- Kohl Drake (No. 6), Mitch Bratt (No. 9) and David Hagaman (No. 15).
Kelly, who pitched at Arizona State University and lives in the Phoenix area, made it known that he hoped to finish his career in Arizona, and the Diamondbacks were hopeful that they would be able to bring him back when he became a free agent.
“These guys know where I stand on being a Diamondback,” Kelly said just before the Trade Deadline. “Obviously, I understand the nature of the beast and the business aspect of it. The idea of -- if I do get traded and if I do go somewhere -- playing for a team that’s contending right now and has a good chance of going to the playoffs and going to the World Series, at this point in my career, I’m open to that, of course. I don’t know how many more years I have left. Hopefully, enough.
“At this point in my career, I think anything can happen, so the chance to win is obviously in the forefront of my mind. That all being said, I love being here. I have always loved being here. I would always be open to being a snake moving forward.”
After inking Mike Soroka to a deal last week, the signing of Kelly helps fill some of the holes in Arizona’s starting rotation.
Arizona has discussed trading All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte this offseason to help its rotation and bullpen, and sources indicated the signing of Kelly doesn't have a big impact on that happening one way or the other.