The Arizona Diamondbacks used their outstanding right-hander Merrill Kelly to start the afternoon game against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.

Kelly was sidelined for nearly four months with a right shoulder injury. In four starts this season, he is 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA. His last appearance was April 15.

Kelly started his rehab career for Single-A Hillsboro on Tuesday, allowing three runs and six hits in four innings and throwing 62 pitches.

“I’m really happy for Merrill and know how hard he has worked to make this day possible,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters.

Kelly, 35, stood out in Arizona’s run to the World Series last season, going 3-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 24 postseason innings. He shut out the Texas Rangers with one run and three hits in seven innings in Game 2, giving Arizona its only World Series win.

Kelly was also the winning pitcher in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Phillies. Arizona won that game 5-1 to even the series. Game 7 was Arizona’s decisive win against Philadelphia.

Kelly went 12-8 with a 3.29 ERA in 30 regular season starts last season. Since joining Arizona in 2019, he is 50-43 with a 3.75 ERA in 131 starts.

Arizona designated for assignment right-hander Humberto Castellanos to free up a spot on the 40-man roster and assigned right-hander Scott McGough to Triple-A Reno after Saturday’s game.

Castellanos, 26, is 0-0 with a 5.23 ERA in seven relief appearances for Arizona this season. McGough, 34, is 1-3 with a 6.83 ERA in 23 appearances (two starts).

–Field level media