PHOENIX — Veteran starting pitcher Merrill Kelly agreed Sunday to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks on a two-year, $40 million contract, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The right-hander spent the first six and a half years of his career with the Diamondbacks before the pending free agent was dealt to the Texas Rangers at this year’s trade deadline in July. He was good for both teams, finishing with a combined 12-9 record and a 3.52 ERA.
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Kelly’s return to the desert isn’t a huge surprise considering he’s a Scottsdale native and played in college at Arizona State.
The fan favorite was a key part of the team that made it to the World Series in 2023. He had a 12-8 record and a 3.29 ERA that season, adding a masterful performance in Game 2 of the World Series against the Rangers, which is the only game the D-backs would win in the Fall Classic.
The 37-year-old doesn’t have any crushing stuff but thrives on a six-pitch mix that keeps hitters off balance. He has carved out a solid MLB career even though he didn’t make his debut until he turned 30 in 2019.
He was drafted in 2010 by the Tampa Bay Rays, but stuck in Triple-A before choosing to sign with the SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization from 2015-18, going 48-32 with a 3.86 ERA.
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The Diamondbacks liked what they saw and signed him to a four-year, $14.5 million contract in 2018.
He agreed to a two-year, $18 million deal with Arizona in 2022 that covered the 2023 and 2024 seasons and included a club option for 2025 that the D-backs exercised.
