Merrill Kelly is returning to the desert, as the veteran right-hander has agreed to a two-year, $40-million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The 37-year-old reunites with the D-Backs following a two-month stint with the Texas Rangers. Arizona traded Kelly to Texas for three prospects at this year’s trade deadline. He put up a 4.23 ERA, 4.18 FIP, and 1.25 WHIP over 10 starts after the trade, but was unable to help the Rangers reach the playoffs.
Save for this past summer’s detour to Arlington, Kelly has spent his entire seven-year MLB career in a D-Backs uniform. He originally joined the Snakes in 2019 following a dominant four-year stint in South Korea.