Merrill Kelly DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Arizona Diamondbacks exercised their 2025 club option on starting pitcher Merrill Kelly, according to Jon Heyman of the NY Post. The 36-year-old made only 13 starts this season after sitting out for an extended period with a shoulder injury. He logged 73 2/3 innings of work with a 4.03 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 19:63 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, he carried a poor 4.93 xERA and .266 xBA, which were among the worst marks among qualified pitchers. In addition, he posted a below-average 40.9% hard-hit rate and a 10.7% barrel rate. Fantasy managers should expect the right-hander to remain in the Arizona rotation through the entire 2025 season and be a stable low-end starter to target late in drafts.

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that right-hander Merrill Kelly (hamstring) is expected to make his next start after leaving his last outing on Wednesday against the Texas Rangers with hamstring cramping. Kelly's next start will be either on Monday or Tuesday at Coors Field against the division-rival Colorado Rockies, depending on how Kelly feels. "We're going to see it through Merrill's eyes. He's fine today, he should be fine tomorrow. If he continues to be fine every day, we will make a decision if it's going to be Monday or Tuesday," Lovullo said on Friday. Coors Field isn't an ideal location to pitch after an injury scare, but the 35-year-old Kelly will be close to a must-start in that one just based on the opponent. Kelly has been inconsistent in his six starts since returning from a long IL stint on Aug. 11, posting a 5.85 ERA with 23 K's, 10 walks and seven homers allowed in 32 1/3 innings.

Updating a previous report, Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly (hamstring) was forced to exit early during Wednesday's start against the Texas Rangers. The right-hander was pulled in the fifth inning due to right-hamstring cramping. It sounds like a minor issue, and the team is hopeful that Kelly can make his next start against the Colorado Rockies. Before exiting, Kelly gave up three earned runs over just four innings of work. For now, fantasy managers should consider Kelly as day-to-day.