Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks made a roster move on Tuesday evening, placing Merrill Kelly on the 15-day injured list due to a shoulder strain. Following the team’s decisive victory over the Cardinals with a score of 14-1, manager Torey Lovullo disclosed that the organization anticipates Kelly being sidelined for an extended period.
“We’re not looking in terms of weeks as what we had hoped for,” Lovullo acknowledged, as reported by Theo Mackie of AZ Central. “So I think the next step up is a month, more than that.”
While Lovullo indicated that surgery is not currently being considered, he remained noncommittal when questioned about Kelly’s potential return before the All-Star break.
Kelly’s absence compounds the challenges faced by a rotation already without Eduardo Rodriguez until at least the end of May. The Diamondbacks’ prominent offseason acquisition suffered a lat strain during spring training, leading to his transfer to the 60-day injured list. To mitigate the impact of Rodriguez’s absence, the team signed Jordan Montgomery. However, Kelly’s injury introduces further uncertainty to what is arguably the team’s weakest area: rotation depth.
Zac Gallen, Montgomery, and Brandon Pfaadt are set to occupy the top three spots in the rotation. Ryne Nelson, who initially started the season in the rotation, was sidelined after being struck by a comebacker, landing him on the injured list last week. Until Nelson’s return, Slade Cecconi and Tommy Henry appear to be the leading candidates for the fourth and fifth spots, although they lack significant experience.
While Cristian Mena and Blake Walston are on the 40-man roster, they have yet to make their Major League Baseball debuts. Humberto Castellanos and Konnor Pilkington, with limited big-league experience, are non-roster players at Triple-A Reno.
None of the aforementioned options are expected to provide the same level of reliability as Kelly. The seasoned right-hander has consistently maintained an ERA below 3.40 across 30 starts in each of the past two seasons, boasting an impressive performance in April with a 2.19 ERA over his initial 24 2/3 innings pitched.
The defending National League champions have had a somewhat lackluster start to the season, posting a 12-13 record. They will rely on their talented lineup to remain competitive in the playoff race until their rotation approaches full strength. While Rodriguez and Kelly may return before the trade deadline, an extended absence from one or both pitchers could intensify pressure on the front office to seek starting pitching upgrades during the summer months.
