Montgomery exercises $22.5M option with D-backs, Pederson opts out, AP source says
A person familiar with the decisions tells The Associated PressNOVEMBER 2 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
MERRILL KELLY #29 - PITCHER - ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
5-1 W-L •
1.17 WHIP •
4.03 ERA
5-1 W-L
1.17 WHIP
4.03 ERA
D-backs pick up option The Diamondbacks exercised Kelly's $7 million club option for 2025 on Saturday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Impact After missing a four-month chunk of the season due to a shoulder injury, Kelly finished 2024 with a 4.03 ERA and 1.17 WHIP across 73.2 innings over 13 starts. Hopeful for a bounce-back campaign in 2025, the D-backs will keep the 36-year-old righty around to bolster a pitching staff that ranked 27th in the majors with a 4.62 ERA.
NOVEMBER 2 • ROTOWIRE
Diamondbacks to part ways with pitching coach Brent Strom and 2 others after missing playoffs
The Arizona Diamondbacks are shaking up their coaching staff after falling just short of the playoffsOCTOBER 4 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly on team's elimination from wild-card contention Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly on the final day of the 2024 regular season and his team being eliminated from MLB playoff conten...
OCTOBER 1 • AZCENTRAL.COM
Takes first loss Kelly (5-1) allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out eight over 5.2 innings, taking the loss versus the Padres on Friday.
Impact Kelly left his last start due to a right calf cramp, but it wasn't a lasting issue for the right-hander. He was shaky in the first inning Friday, allowing four of the five runs and four of the eight hits on his line as the Padres tagged him for four runs early. He also gave up an RBI triple to Luis Arraez in the fourth. Kelly wraps up his injury-plagued regular season with a 4.03 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 63:19 K:BB over 73.2 innings across 13 starts after missing nearly four months with a shoulder injury.
SEPTEMBER 28 • ROTOWIRE
Padres visit the Diamondbacks to open 3-game series
The Arizona Diamondbacks host the San Diego Padres to open a three-game seriesSEPTEMBER 27 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Merrill Kelly on cramping issues, taken out during win over Brewers Merrill Kelly talks about his latest bout with cramping, which forced him out of the Diamondbacks’ 5-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sat...
SEPTEMBER 22 • AZCENTRAL.COM
D-backs shut out Brewers despite Kelly's early exit MILWAUKEE -- Merrill Kelly had to leave Saturday night's game before the start of the sixth inning with a right calf cramp, but that didn't...
SEPTEMBER 22 • MLB.COM
Pederson hits an early homer as the Diamondbacks blank the Brewers 5-0
Joc Pederson, Jose Herrera and Ketel Marte homered, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-0 to maintain their position in the NL wild-card standingsSEPTEMBER 22 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dealing with calf cramp Kelly was removed from Saturday's game against the Brewers due to a right calf cramp.
Impact Kelly had thrown 72 pitches through five scoreless innings and was set to come out for the sixth, but after a long discussion on the mound, he was pulled from the game and finished with six strikeouts while allowing just two hits. Kelly has dealt with leg cramps in the past, and he was forced to leave during his start against the Rangers on Sept. 11 due to hamstring cramps. It's unclear whether his current injury will force him to miss his next start in the rotation.
SEPTEMBER 22 • ROTOWIRE
Leaves with apparent cramping Kelly (leg) left in the sixth inning of Saturday's game against the Brewers, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Impact Kelly was visited by trainers on the mound before leaving the game prior to the start of the sixth inning. The 35-year-old has been forced to exit games early in the past due to leg cramps, with the last instance taking place Sept. 11 against the Rangers. Kelly finishes the contest having thrown five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and striking out six batters. Joe Mantiply came in for Kelly at the top of the sixth inning.
SEPTEMBER 22 • ROTOWIRE
Contreras leads Brewers against the Diamondbacks after 4-hit game
The Milwaukee Brewers play the Arizona Diamondbacks after William Contreras' four-hit game on FridaySEPTEMBER 21 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Solid outing in no decision Kelly came away with a no decision in Monday's loss to the Rockies. He allowed one run on two hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five.
Impact Kelly exited his previous start against the Rangers due to a hamstring injury but was able to get through six innings with relative ease on Monday. Kelly came into the start with a 5.85 ERA over six starts since returning from the injured list on August 11, but he now has two quality starts in his last three appearances. The 35-year-old will carry a 4.00 ERA and 1.19 WHIP into his next start against the Brewers.
SEPTEMBER 17 • ROTOWIRE
Cleared to pitch Monday Kelly is listed as the Diamondbacks' probable starting pitcher for Monday's game against the Rockies at Coors Field.
Impact The right-hander will take his next turn through the rotation on his normal four days' rest, despite exiting his previous start Wednesday against the Rangers after four-plus innings due to right hamstring cramping. Since returning from the injured list Aug. 11 following a prolonged absence due to a teres major strain of his shoulder, Kelly has gone 2-0 with a 5.85 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 23:10 K:BB in 32.1 innings over six starts.
SEPTEMBER 16 • ROTOWIRE
Could start early next week Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Friday that Kelly (hamstring) could start Monday or Tuesday, Arizona Sports reports.
Impact Lovullo said Kelly was doing better Friday and if that trend continues, the right-hander will be ready to take his next turn through the rotation. "If he continues to be fine every day, we will make a decision if it's going to be Monday or Tuesday," Lovullo said. Kelly was pulled from his previous start Wednesday with discomfort.
SEPTEMBER 14 • ROTOWIRE
D-backs don't miss a beat after Kelly exits early due to apparent injury PHOENIX -- D-backs starter Merrill Kelly left Wednesday afternoon's game with the Rangers in the top of the fifth inning with what appeared...
SEPTEMBER 11 • MLB.COM
Managing hamstring cramps Manager Torey Lovullo said Kelly was lifted from Wednesday's start due to right hamstring cramping, but the right-hander is expected to make his next turn through the rotation, Jes...
Impact Kelly allowed three earned runs over four innings before being lifted from Wednesday's contest, but he doesn't appear to be dealing with a serious injury. The 35-year-old's next turn through the rotation tentatively lines up for Monday in Colorado, and he should be expected to take the mound then unless the hamstring issue lingers.
SEPTEMBER 11 • ROTOWIRE
Marte homers and drives in 4 runs as the Diamondbacks hit 5 HRs in a 14-4 rout of Rangers
Ketel Marte homered and had four RBIs, Eugenio Suárez hit two homers and the Arizona Diamondbacks routed the Texas Rangers 14-4SEPTEMBER 11 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly leaves start against Rangers in the fifth inning with hamstring cramp
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly has left his start against the Texas Rangers with a right hamstring cramp in the fifth inningSEPTEMBER 11 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Exits start with possible cramping Kelly was removed from Wednesday's start against the Rangers in the fifth inning with an undisclosed injury, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports.
Impact Kelly has dealt with cramping multiple times in the past and was seen shaking his leg during a visit from the trainer, so perhaps that's all this is. The Diamondbacks should have more on his condition soon. Kelly struck out three and was charged with two runs over four-plus innings before being removed.
SEPTEMBER 11 • ROTOWIRE
Diamondbacks bring 1-0 series lead over Rangers into game 2
The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Texas Rangers, leading the series 1-0SEPTEMBER 11 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly on his 7-inning performance against the San Francisco Giants Merrill Kelly gave up two runs in seven innings against the Giants in what was his best outing since returning from the injured list last mo...
SEPTEMBER 6 • AZCENTRAL.COM
Rebounds with seven quality innings Kelly did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing two runs on six hits over seven innings against the Giants. He struck out eight.
Impact Kelly was sharp Thursday, completing seven frames with the only blemish against his line being a two-out single in the fourth by Patrick Bailey that drove in two to tie the game. However, despite knocking out Giants' starter Blake Snell after just one inning, the Diamondbacks couldn't muster any more runs against the San Francisco bullpen and Kelly left with a quality no-decision. The eight strikeouts matched a season high and were the most Kelly has accumulated since his first start of the season. His performance comes on the heels of allowing 14 earned runs including six homers over his previous three starts spanning 16.1 innings. He'll look to ride the momentum from Thursday's start into his next outing, scheduled to take place when Arizona hosts the Rangers in a rematch of the 2023 World Series.
SEPTEMBER 6 • ROTOWIRE
Giants enter matchup against the Diamondbacks on losing streak
The San Francisco Giants aim to end a four-game skid when they take on the Arizona DiamondbacksSEPTEMBER 5 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Greeted by homer barrage Kelly allowed six runs (four earned) on 10 hits and a walk while striking out one over 5.1 innings in a no-decision versus the Dodgers on Saturday.
Impact Kelly looked to be in for a long night after giving up solo home runs to Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman over his first 11 pitches. Kelly struggled against the top of the Dodgers' order in the second inning as well, but he was able to settle down after that. The right-hander hasn't been very good since he returned from a four-month absence with a shoulder injury -- he's allowed 18 runs (16 earned), including six homers, over 21.1 innings since he returned to action Aug. 11. Kelly has a 4.30 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 33:14 K:BB through 46 innings over eight starts this season. He's tentatively projected to make his next start at San Francisco.
SEPTEMBER 1 • ROTOWIRE
