SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly displayed an uptick in velocity Friday afternoon in his first Cactus League appearance of the spring against the Royals.
After averaging 92 mph last year with his two and four-seam fastballs, Kelly threw a number of 94 mph fastballs and one that touched 95 mph.
While Spring Training velocities don’t necessarily mean much, it’s worth noting for Kelly, who missed a large part of 2024 with a shoulder injury. Clearly, he’s feeling good and his shoulder is healthy early in camp.
The velocity is up even with Kelly not trying to exert any more effort, another good sign for the 36-year-old.
“It feels good coming out of my hand,” Kelly said. “It has all spring. I've heard some comments from some coaches, they say I look good. They say it looks like I’m putting more effort into it, which I’m not trying to do, so I’m going to take that as a good sign. Not trying to get ahead of myself and think that I’m going to throw 97 during the season. But if we’re hitting [Friday’s] numbers with the effort I’m putting out, it’s definitely an encouraging sign.”
Kelly allowed a single and a walk in the first inning, but managed to escape any damage thanks in part to picking Maikel Garcia off second base. He then retired the Royals in order in the second.
Nelson states his case
One day after Brandon Pfaadt tossed two scoreless innings against the Reds, right-hander Ryne Nelson recorded two scoreless innings of his own, allowing a hit and a pair of walks while striking out one.
Nelson and Pfaadt are locked in a battle for the fifth starter’s spot along with Jordan Montgomery.
Pfaadt and Nelson were mainstays in the rotation the past two seasons, but the rotation got crowded this offseason when Montgomery exercised his $22.5 million player option and the Diamondbacks went out and signed Corbin Burnes to a six-year, $210 million free agent contract.
Burnes, Zac Gallen, Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez appear to be locked in as the first four, which leaves the other three fighting for one spot.
It’s the third straight spring that Nelson has found himself having to compete for a rotation slot.
“It's the same thing I try to do every year, and it's just focus on myself,” Nelson said about how he’s mentally dealing with the competition. “And I think this year, I have more of a realization that a lot of this stuff is out of your control. I just love playing baseball, so I think it's just like, 'I got to go out there and pitch today,' and that's all I'm really concerned about.”
Blaze out
Shortstop Blaze Alexander has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 right oblique strain and will likely miss the rest of Spring Training.
That obviously puts Alexander out of the race for a backup infield spot.
“Not too happy, but what are you going to do?” Alexander said. “It’s frustrating after the work I put in during the offseason to try and win a spot.”