Arizona Diamondbacks News

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) is set to make the start in his team's Spring Training game on Friday against the Kansas City Royals, per Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Kelly was sidelined early in camp with a back injury, but he was able to make it through a live batting practice session this past Sunday and appears on track to progress to game action. The 37-year-old may not be fully built up to his normal pitch count in his first start or two of the season, but he should have a chance to be ready for Opening Day barring any setbacks. Across 184 innings (32 starts) split between the Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers in 2025, Kelly posted a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. He is locked into a rotation spot in Arizona and projects as a quality late-round innings eater for fantasy managers.

The plan is for Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) to serve as the designated hitter in the team's Cactus League game on Wednesday against the Athletics, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. The 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year has healed quickly from surgery to fix a fractured hamate bone in his right hand in early February. Barring a setback once Carroll returns to game action, he should be ready for Opening Day later this month. It's great news for the Diamondbacks and fantasy managers who took Carroll as a top-10 fantasy outfielder already in drafts. The former 16th overall pick in 2019 is a two-time All-Star and contributes across all categories in fantasy. Carroll has led the league in triples in each of the last three years and was a 30-30 man in 2025 for the first time in his career.

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo took a huge leap in 2025, and his offense caught up with his excellent defense during his age-25 season. Perdomo posted an impressive .290/.389/.462 slash line with 20 home runs, 27 stolen bases, more walks than strikeouts, and a 370 wOBA. He played 161 of Arizona's 162 games and posted career highs in every major category. He had never hit more than six homers in a season, but hit 20 in 2025, and he had never had more than 16 stolen bases before swiping 27 bags last year. He took a huge step forward and became a key part of the D-backs' lineup. He's currently the No. 10 shortstop in RotoBaller's rankings and can be a strong mixed-league option if he continues last year's success. Most projections are calling for a little regression after his massive breakout, but he still is a solid starter to snag after the elite producers at the position are off the board.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) could debut in a Cactus League game at some point this week, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Carroll had surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his right hand last month, but the 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year is recovering very quickly. At this pace, Carroll should be ready for Opening Day in late March. Carroll has been an All-Star in two of his four MLB seasons, including last year, when he slashed .259/.343/.541 with a career-best .883 OPS, 31 home runs, 84 RBI, a league-leading 17 triples, 107 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 642 plate appearances and 143 games played. Despite Carroll's hand injury this spring, fantasy managers shouldn't hesitate to take him late in the first round of fantasy drafts as a five-category contributor in a hitter-friendly home ballpark.

The Arizona Diamondbacks reassigned outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt to minor-league camp on Sunday, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The D-backs were seriously considering having Waldschmidt make their Opening Day roster due to injuries to Corbin Carroll (hand) and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) in their outfield. The 23-year-old former 31st overall pick in 2024 out of Kentucky will start at Triple-A Reno in 2026, but if he's playing well early on, an early-season promotion to the Show could be in order. In nine Cactus League games in spring training, Waldschmidt has gone 9-for-28 (.321) with a homer, five RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in 30 plate appearances. Waldschmidt hit .289/.419/.473 with an .892 OPS, 18 homers, 78 RBI, 114 runs, and 29 steals in 134 games with High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo last year. He could become Arizona's starting center fielder by season's end, and his power/speed combination makes him a must-stash in dynasty/keeper leagues.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) was able to throw a successful live batting practice session on Sunday. According to Steve Gilbert, Kelly felt good during the session and everything went well. The next step will likely be Kelly throwing a bullpen session before getting into game action. Barring any setbacks, Kelly should be ready in time for Opening Day. In 2025, Kelly posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and a 167/48 K/BB ratio across 32 starts. The 37-year-old pitched well last season, but a regression is possible given his age. If healthy, Kelly could be an interesting late-round option, but he's unlikely to surpass last year's numbers.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) is already taking live batting practice in camp as he works his way back from hamate surgery on his right hand that he had on Feb. 12, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Nothing is set in stone, but the fact that the 25-year-old former National League Rookie of the Year is already facing live pitching means he should be ready to go for Opening Day at the end of the month. The two-time All-Star is an elite five-category contributor when he's fully healthy, and he's coming off a bounce-back season in which he slashed .259/.343/.541 with an .883 OPS, career-best 31 home runs, 84 RBI, 107 runs scored, a league-high 17 triples, and 32 stolen bases in 642 plate appearances over 143 games. With easy 20-20 potential in a hitter-friendly home park, Carroll is a lock as a top-10 fantasy outfielder going into his fifth MLB season.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jordan Lawlar started off Cactus League action with a bang, belting two home runs in his first two games and going 4-for-6 with a walk during that time. Since then, he's gone 0-for-6 over the next three games, but the former first-rounder has also drawn five walks over that stretch, so he's continued to get on base. Set to be the team's everyday center fielder, it should be exciting to see how the organization's former top prospect can perform in 2026 with regular playing time. The right-handed slugger got only sporadic starts during his two stints in the majors last season, but was phenomenal during his time at Triple-A, producing a .313/.403/.564 slash line with 11 home runs and 20 steals in 63 games. The drawback is that he was limited by injury yet again, missing nearly two months with a hamstring strain after playing just 14 games in 2024 between Double and Triple-A due to multiple injuries that included an injury to a hamstring and a reaggravation of it. Once he becomes OF eligible on Yahoo!, it will make him that much more versatile and appealing for fantasy. There is 15/15 likelihood here with 20/20 upside, and he'll cost next to nothing in drafts, if he even gets drafted at all. Remember, this is a player that Arizona thought enough of to allow him to debut in the majors at 20 years old back in 2023.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt has made a strong case for a starting job early in spring training and is quickly approaching sleeper territory in drafts. Through his first six contests, Waldschmidt has posted a .316/.350/.632 slash line with three doubles, one home run, and one stolen base. Even though Waldschmidt has yet to step foot on a Triple-A diamond, the team's top prospect is in serious contention to crack the Opening Day roster. Last season, he spent time at High- and Double-A and posted a cumulative .289/.419/.473 line with a .892 OPS, 18 home runs, and 29 stolen bases. With Corbin Carroll (hand) in question for Opening Day and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) set to miss the start of the season, Waldschmidt could hold high-end early-season value in all formats.

Arizona Diamondbacks reliever Drey Jameson could be a key piece of the team's bullpen in 2026 after injuries have left the staff thin, as A.J. Puk (elbow) is not expected to return until July and Justin Martinez (elbow) is targeting an August return. That leaves closing duties to the likes of Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald, who combined for five total saves last season, as Sewald dealt with a shoulder injury for most of the year and has been less effective since his 34-save campaign in 2023. Jameson may not get a crack at closing duties, but if he does, the right-hander has the stuff to be effective, including a fastball that can touch 99 mph. The former 34th-overall draft pick experienced elbow pain last year that caused him to be shut down in June, but he was able to strike out 19 batters in 12 2/3 innings pitched at Triple-A before that and was healthy enough to pitch again in the Arizona Fall League. The 28-year-old has looked good so far this spring, too, punching out three batters in two innings of work, with his four-seamer topping out at 98.7 mph. Jameson is not rosterable in most fantasy leagues at the moment, but he's a name to keep on the radar should Ginkel or Sewald falter early on.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (hand) has progressed from swings off flips/tee toss to more typical batting practice swings, manager Torey Lovullo told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Carroll is recovering from surgery for a broken hamate bone in his right hand, but he appears to be getting close to facing live pitching in camp. If the 25-year-old continues to make good progress and avoids any setbacks, there's still a chance he could be ready to play on Opening Day on March 26 against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-time All-Star and former National League Rookie of the Year bounced back in 2025 after a down year in 2024, slashing .259/.343/.541 with an .883 OPS, career-high 31 home runs, a league-leading 17 triples, 107 runs scored, and 32 stolen bases in 143 games. Carroll's hand injury isn't ideal going into the regular season, and it could sap him of some power, but he's still considered a top-10 fantasy outfielder at RotoBaller.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) is slated to throw a bullpen session on Thursday, per manager Torey Lovullo. The veteran has been on a throwing program, tossing from up to 60 feet as recently as Tuesday, and the bullpen session is the next step in that process. At some point, he'll face live hitters and eventually make his spring debut if he does not experience any setbacks. For now, he's optimistic about being ready for Opening Day, and the 37-year-old is coming off a solid 2025 campaign in which he recorded a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and struck out 167 batters in 184 innings pitched. A 3.95 SIERA points to some possible regression, and at pick 205 in Yahoo! leagues, he looks a bit pricey, especially given his RotoBaller rank of 262 overall, but if you can scoop him up later than his ADP, the right-hander could be a decent back-end fantasy rotation piece.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) is throwing from out to 60 feet, per manager Torey Lovullo. The veteran is dealing with a back injury, but played catch on Sunday, and this is a continuation of a throwing progression that would next get him into a bullpen session. The 37-year-old is optimistic about being ready for Opening Day and would likely join the backend of the Arizona rotation when the season opens if all goes to plan. The right-hander tossed 184 innings in 2025, posting a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts (15.9 percent K-BB%). With an ADP of around pick 200, Kelly is being taken at the back end of most drafts, so it is worth monitoring his progress to make sure he stays on track.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) received cortisone and lidocaine shots in his back last week and was able to play catch on Sunday without issue, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Gilbert reports that Kelly is "optimistic" he will be able to "pitch at the backend" of Arizona's rotation to start the season. The 37-year-old was traded by the Diamondbacks to the Texas Rangers at the 2025 trade deadline, but returned to Arizona in free agency this offseason. Across 184 innings (32 starts) split between the Diamondbacks and Rangers in 2025, Kelly posted a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts. It's not a great sign that he's dealing with back issues in spring, particularly given his age. However, it appears as though Kelly could avoid missing time, even if it requires him ramping up to a full workload in his first couple starts of the regular season.

Throughout his big-league career to this point, Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno has had a difficult time staying on the field. Over the past two seasons, groin and finger injuries have limited the 26-year-old to just 660 plate appearances. However, when healthy, Moreno has proven himself to be a productive player. Across 309 plate appearances in 2025, he hit .285/.353/.433 with nine home runs, 40 RBI, 44 runs scored, and two stolen bases. Moreno owns a career batting average of .281 and a career strikeout rate of 16.9%, so he should remain a batting average asset for fantasy managers, particularly relative to his position. Moreno may never threaten 20 home runs, but he did improve his barrel rate to a career-best 7.1% in 2025. Still, Moreno's inability to stay healthy is a major red flag in his fantasy profile. RotoBaller currently ranks Moreno as the number 16 fantasy catcher heading into 2026.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (wrist) is likely going to be ready for Opening Day. On Saturday, D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo said he wouldn't be surprised if Carroll was back for the season opener. Carroll is currently recovering from a broken hamate bone in his wrist that he suffered earlier this month. It's hard to believe that Carroll would be ready by late March, but the organization has faith in a quick recovery. Carroll slashed .259/.343/.541 with 31 home runs, 84 RBI, and 32 steals in 143 games. Despite the injury, Carroll should still be viewed as a first-rounder in fantasy drafts.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that the team is "holding out hope" that if right-hander Merrill Kelly (back) can ramp up his throwing "sooner than later," that he'll have time to get ready to pitch in the second series of the season and "avoid the injured list," according to The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro. It was believed that the 37-year-old would open the 2026 season on the IL, and that's still likely to be the outcome, with the D-backs probably preferring not to rush the veteran hurler back early in the year. When healthy, Kelly is a top-of-the-rotation arm for Arizona, even though his fantasy baseball value is limited due to his lack of strikeouts (22% career strikeout rate). Kelly opened the 2025 season with the D-backs before being traded to the Rangers at midseason. He finished with a 3.52 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, and 167:48 K:BB in 184 innings (32 starts). An aging pitcher with an injury concern heading into the season isn't exactly a strong late-round fantasy target.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo confirmed on Wednesday that veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly (back) will not start on Opening Day due to a back injury he picked up in camp, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The good news is that Kelly's MRI results haven't shown any structural damage, so he could have a minimal stay on the injured list to begin the 2026 regular season. With Kelly now unable to be ready for the start of the year, right-hander Michael Soroka could round out the Snakes' Opening Day rotation in Arizona. Kelly features a diverse arsenal and has plenty of experience in the big leagues, but his lack of putaway stuff already made him a low-ceiling starting pitcher for fantasy purposes, and his back injury now make his even less attractive as rotation depth in mixed leagues in 2026.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfield prospect Ryan Waldschmidt has already begun to showcase his power upside as he looks to claim a spot on the Opening Day roster. Through his first three games (10 at-bats), the team's top hitting prospect has hit a double and gone deep while posting an .873 OPS. The Kentucky product has also begun to see time in the center field in addition to his time in left field, further suggesting the Diamondbacks are attempting to find an early-season role for him. Currently, they are without two starting outfielders as Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (knee) will not be ready for the beginning of the season, and Corbin Carroll (hand) is targeting an Opening Day return, but any minor setback would push him past this target date. Last season, Waldschmidt spent his time at High-A and Double-A and posted an overall .289/.419/.473 line with 18 home runs and 29 stolen bases. Even though he has never played a game at Triple-A, he is in a prime position to break camp with the MLB roster, given their numerous injuries.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (back) recently underwent an MRI after being scratched from his scheduled batting practice session last week. On Monday, D-Backs manager Torey Lovullo told reporters that they're still waiting for MRI results on Kelly's back issue. He continued by saying that Kelly is feeling good, so hopefully the 37-year-old will be able to avoid a significant injury. Kelly was recently named the Opening Day starter. At the moment, it doesn't sound like Kelly is in danger of missing the beginning of the regular season. Hopefully, the organization will be able to give a better timetable once the MRI results are in.