Merrill KellyHis last major league pitching appearance was on April 15. The Diamondbacks’ right-hander was excellent in his first four starts before being sidelined with a strained right shoulder. After nearly four months on the bench, Kelly now appears to be close to returning. Manager Torey Lovullo hinted to reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic) that Kelly will be activated off the 60-day injured list in time for Sunday’s start when the D’Backs host the Phillies.
It won’t be official until Kelly gets through a bullpen session scheduled for Friday, but as Lovullo put it, “you can read between the lines“about the team’s plans.”You get to a certain number of pitches…when things go beyond three innings (in rehab starts) it gets serious. We like it when it gets into the 80-pitch range. We throw down when we’ve been in that situation before. So stay tuned.”
Kelly already broke the three-inning barrier in his first minor league rehab appearance last Tuesday, when he struck out 62 pitches in four innings at Everett’s High-A affiliate team. Given his long layoff and the fact that he’s only faced A-ball competition, it’s a little surprising that this will apparently be Kelly’s only rehab appearance, but Lovullo said, “The reports were really good” and that Kelly “did exactly what we wanted him to do.” The manager noted that Kelly would have a limited number of throws on Sunday, in the range of 75-80 throws, as the D’Backs slowly ease him into the game.
Now in his sixth season with Arizona, Kelly has become a staple in the Snakes’ rotation, posting a 3.75 ERA in his 775 1/3 innings during the regular season. In his first MLB season (2019), the right-hander pitched 183 1/3 innings, and he averaged 179 frames during the 2021-23 seasons, as Kelly missed a few months during that time due to some relatively minor injuries but was otherwise a solid arm. He gained national attention during the Diamondbacks’ run to the NL championship last fall, posting a 2.25 ERA in 24 playoff innings.
Kelly is about to return and Eduardo Rodriguez With his season debut earlier this week, the D’Backs finally have their first starting lineup intact for the first time all season. Ironically, this increased rotation comes just as the team has suffered a major blow behind the plate when Gabriel Moreno was placed on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a strained left adductor muscle.
Moreno will be missed”several weeks“Recovering,” Lovullo told Arizona Sports (video link), and a more precise timeline could be known once the catcher “get some second opinions” and a more comprehensive review of his MRI results. While Lovullo gave no indication that Moreno’s injury could end his season, such a possibility cannot be ruled out based on the calendar alone and the fact that Moreno is not expected to be out until September at the earliest. Any setback could completely sideline Moreno for the remainder of the 2024 season and possibly any postseason activity the Diamondbacks anticipate.
The former star prospect has continued to impress in his second full major league season, hitting .262/.344/.385 with five home runs in 314 at-bats and providing impressive defense. It wouldn’t have been easy for the D’Backs to replace Moreno even if he had been injured before the trade deadline, but if he faces an extended absence, the Snakes’ chances of bolstering the catcher ranks are slim. Jose Herrera and rookie Adrian Del Castillo form Arizona’s catcher corps, but Andrew Knizner was claimed off waivers by the Rangers today to give the Snakes some more experienced depth behind the plate.
