Merrill Kelly Stats
- Height / Weight
- 6' 2" / 202 lbs.
- Date of Birth (Age)
- 10/14/1988 (35)
- Experience
- 5
- College
- Arizona State
Merrill Kelly Season Stats
Last 10 Games
Merrill Kelly News
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Tuesday that the team could be without starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) for at least a month. Kelly was placed on the injured list earlier in the day with a right shoulder strain. When asked if the 35-year-old would be back by the All-Star break, Lovullo said, "I don't know. Hard to say." This is a big blow to the Diamondbacks and fantasy managers, as Kelly had a 2.19 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 22.8% strikeout rate in his first four starts. Tommy Henry figures to slot into the rotation in Kelly's place, but fantasy managers may want to look elsewhere for immediate replacements.
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (shoulder) has been placed on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday. The right-hander is dealing with a shoulder strain, but reportedly won't need surgery, according to manager Torey Lovullo. The D-Backs have not given a timetable on Kelly's possible return to the mound. It sounds like the organization plans to have Kelly undergo further testing before they decide on what to do. Southpaw Tommy Henry has been recalled from the minors and figures to slide into the open spot in the starting rotation.
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) is "most likely" headed to the injured list to make room for the call-up of left-hander Tommy Henry, who will start on Tuesday on the road against the St. Louis Cardinals. Kelly was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants and is now most likely going to have to miss the next couple weeks at the very least due to a shoulder strain. The 35-year-old veteran should be stashed in most fantasy leagues while he's on the injured list, as he's currently 2-0 with a strong 2.19 ERA (3.82 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with six walks and 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings over his first four starts. Henry should fill in in Arizona's rotation in the short-term, but the soft-tossing southpaw has minimal fantasy upside and was sporting a 6.87 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in his first four starts before being optioned to the minors.
Batting Order
1 | Pavin Smith |
2 | Blaze Alexander |
3 | Joc Pederson |
4 | Christian Walker |
5 | Eugenio Suárez |
6 | Jake McCarthy |
7 | Corbin Carroll |
8 | Kevin Newman |
9 | Tucker Barnhart |
Merrill Kelly Stats
Last 10 Games
Batting Order
1 | Pavin Smith |
2 | Blaze Alexander |
3 | Joc Pederson |
4 | Christian Walker |
5 | Eugenio Suárez |
6 | Jake McCarthy |
7 | Corbin Carroll |
8 | Kevin Newman |
9 | Tucker Barnhart |
Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly once again started 30 games in 2023, totaling 177 2/3 innings with a 12-8 record and 3.29 ERA. More importantly, in his age-34 season, Kelly saw an uptick in strikeouts, with a career-high 25.9 K% compared to 22.0 K% in 2022. A significant factor in this increase in strikeouts should be credited to his high 32.9 chase% compared to his 29.9 chase% the year prior. A look under the hood shows that his changeup was effective in 2023. This pitch generated a 32% whiff rate in 2023 compared to 28.0% in 2022. In addition, it produced a minuscule .234 SLG, while in 2022, it produced a hefty .361 SLG. While his overall average exit velocity of 89.6 mph was below average, it is encouraging to see a 34-year-old find untapped strikeout numbers this late in his career. Kelly will provide a stable option as a starter over the long course of the season that is not common in baseball today. He may not be why you win your league, but I doubt he will lose it, and a few extra punchouts along the way are an unexpected plus. ATC projects Kelly to start 29 games with 11 wins and a higher 3.94 ERA, making him a solid pick at his current NFBC ADP of 152.