The Arizona Diamondbacks have re-signed veteran Merrill Kelly to a two-year, $40 million deal to strengthen their starting rotation.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back a familiar face to bolster their starting pitching. According to MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand citing sources today, the team has reached an agreement with right-hander Merrill Kelly on a two-year, $40 million contract, though the team has not yet officially confirmed the deal.

After pitching seven seasons for the Diamondbacks with a cumulative ERA of 3.74, Kelly was traded to the Texas Rangers at the July 31 deadline this year. In the 2025 season, he started 32 games, posting a 12-9 record with a 3.52 ERA. That ERA ranked 19th among all qualified starters in the majors, while his 18 quality starts placed him 11th in the league.

Now 37 years old, Kelly delivered a solid overall season in 2025, continuing his reputation as one of the most dependable starters in the majors. Except for a shortened 2024 season due to injury and the pandemic-affected 2020 season, Kelly has started at least 27 games in every full season since his MLB debut in 2019, including three seasons with over 30 starts.

Although Kelly throws six different pitches without any being particularly dominant, he excels at mixing them effectively. Much of his success in generating outs comes from having one of the highest chase rates in the majors—batters swing at 32.8% of his pitches outside the strike zone, ranking in the top 9% across MLB.

Kelly’s four-seam fastball averages just 92 mph, yet he limits hitters to a .212 batting average against it. In 2025, some of his other pitches performed even better: batters hit only .181 against his cutter and .203 against his changeup.

Kelly remains an efficient starting pitcher; since 2019, his cumulative 3.77 ERA ranks 11th among pitchers with at least 1,000 innings pitched in that span, ahead of names like Dylan Cease and Aaron Nola. Additionally, his 1.20 WHIP during this period ranks 10th among qualified starters.