PHOENIX --- D-backs right-hander Merrill Kelly was placed on the 15-day injured list prior to Tuesday night’s game against the Rays due to a blood clot in his lower right leg.
It was one of a flurry of roster moves by the D-backs, who also optioned lefty Joe Mantiply to Triple-A Reno and recalled right-handed relievers Kevin Ginkel and prospect Justin Martinez from Reno.
Kelly has been one of the D-backs’ top starters this year, with he and Zac Gallen providing Arizona a powerful one-two punch at the top of their rotation. He is 9-4 with a 3.22 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 95 innings.
The clot was discovered the day after Kelly started against the Giants on Saturday.
“It was sore before the game on Saturday,” Kelly said. “But I didn't feel it during the game Saturday, we went to dinner Saturday, everything felt fine. I woke up Sunday morning and it was, from my knee down, it was super puffy and super sore. So [athletic trainer Ryan DiPanfilo] took a look at it.”
Given that Kelly had a blood clot issue in 2020 that led to thoracic outlet surgery and the team was scheduled to fly home that night, DiPanfilo recommended he go to the hospital for tests, and an ultrasound showed the clot.
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said that he believes Kelly’s injury is similar to the clot that right-hander Ian Kennedy suffered last year. Kennedy was placed on blood thinners and returned to action 2 1/2 weeks later. Kelly said he has texted back and forth with Kennedy to pick his brain on what he went through.
The exact timeline on a return for Kelly is uncertain, and as a starting pitcher instead of a reliever like Kennedy, he might need a little more time to ramp back up after time away.
“He's going to do all he can to keep his arm in shape,” Lovullo said. “It's his lower right leg, and that shouldn't stop him from being able to do a lot of stuff that will allow him to step back in when he gets cleared.”
Kelly played catch at the team’s Spring Training facility Wednesday and said while he hopes to not miss much time, his first priority is making sure the blood clot is taken care of. He will have a follow-up ultrasound Monday to see if there’s been any improvement.
Meanwhile, this marks the first Major League callup for Martinez, who is ranked as the D-backs’ No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline. In his last 20 appearances with the Aces (since April 16), he went 2-0 with five saves, a 0.39 ERA, 31 strikeouts and a .167 opponent average in 23 1/3 innings.
“It's power stuff,” Lovullo said of Martinez. “It's 100 mph, 101, 102 and I love that power, but it's about throwing it where he wants to, and what are you going to throw off of that? That's the most important thing, and that's what he's been doing very well lately in Reno.”
Brandon Pfaadt, the D-backs' No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline, will take Kelly’s place in the rotation and start Thursday against the Rays.