Rangers trade deadline acquisition returning to original team in free agency

Rangers 2025 trade deadline acquisition Merrill Kelly returning to Arizona Diamondbacks in free agency

The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back veteran right-handed starting pitcher Merrill Kelly on a two-year, $40 million contract, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. The deal is pending a physical, per The New York Post's Jon Heyman. The Diamondbacks will have to make a corresponding move to clear a 40-man roster spot for Kelly.

Kelly, 37, made his MLB debut in 2019 with the Diamondbacks. He spent his whole MLB career with Arizona before being traded to the Texas Rangers on July 31 for left-handed pitchers Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt and right-handed pitcher David Hagaman.

It wouldn't have made sense for the Rangers to re-sign Kelly given their financial situation

Upon being dealt to the Rangers, Kelly went 3-3 and posted a 4.23 ERA (4.18 FIP) with 46 strikeouts and 10 walks in 55 1/3 innings over 10 starts. While the Rangers likely would have been a better team if they had brought Kelly back this offseason, paying $20 million for a starting pitcher isn't in the organization's best interest, given the team's financial constraints and need to improve on offense and rebuild its bullpen.

Kelly has proven he can be among the game's best starting pitchers when he's at his best. In parts of seven MLB seasons, the veteran righty has a 3.77 ERA (3.99 FIP) with 911 strikeouts and 300 walks. During Arizona's 2023 World Series run, Kelly had an excellent 2.25 ERA with 28 strikeouts and eight walks in 24 innings over four starts.

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Kelly in the eighth round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He remained with the organization through 2014, reaching as high as Triple-A. Then, he went overseas to play in the Korean Baseball Association (KBO).

Kelly spent four seasons in the KBO, sporting a 3.86 ERA with 641 strikeouts and 206 walks in 729 2/3 innings. After his time in Korea, Kelly signed a deal with the Diamondbacks in December of 2018. He initially struggled with Arizona before becoming a mainstay in the rotation.