Bold opening: The Diamondbacks face a critical crossroads in their pitching depth, and the best path forward hinges on whether Merrill Kelly can avoid a stint on the injured list. But here’s where it gets controversial: even with his early throwing, nothing is guaranteed until he’s completely asymptomatic.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Merrill Kelly was back on the agility field Thursday, playing catch, and the team remains hopeful that he can progress through throwing drills sooner rather than later. If his progression moves quickly enough and he shows no symptoms, manager Torey Lovullo believes there’s a real chance Kelly could avoid an IL stint. Until then, no exact date has been set for resuming his throwing routine.
Kelly was sidelined from Opening Day due to intercostal nerve irritation in his back, forcing Arizona to designate a starter to begin the season. Lovullo emphasized they are “building it backwards,” aiming to bring him along as soon as feasible, with the possibility that he could slot into the back end of the rotation. Yet he warned that anything could still happen.
If Kelly lands on the 15-day injured list, it would erase his participation in the Opening Series at Dodger Stadium and the first homestand. He would be eligible to return during Arizona’s nine-game road trip, which includes stops with the Mets, Phillies, and Orioles.
Kelly said on Wednesday that most of his throws felt normal during catch, though a few moments produced tightness again. He spoke on the Foul Territory podcast and noted his first game was initially planned for Friday.
Arizona’s pitching depth appears solid in camp if Kelly misses time, with arms like Zac Gallen, Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodríguez, Michael Soroka, and Brandon Pfaadt in the mix. Speaking of Pfaadt, Lovullo described him as being “slow-played.”
Pfaadt recently had a live batting practice session on the backfields but has not yet debuted in Cactus League competition this spring. The decision to slow-play stems from a prior offseason side issue. Lovullo reassured that Pfaadt is asymptomatic and should be ready for the regular season, but the club chose a cautious approach.
“We’re mindful of what he’s gone through. He’ll be available and built up just fine,” Lovullo said. “Everything’s exactly where we want it to be. We paused him for about a week to let him rest. Does that have any impact? I don’t think so.”
Over the past two seasons, Pfaadt has been a workhorse, logging 358.1 innings, ranking him among the league’s heavy workload options.
Other notes from camp: Soroka, Gallen, and Rodríguez have pitched in Cactus League games, while Nelson is slated to take the mound Friday.
The club also faced a sobering memory from last year’s road trip to Cincinnati. In rainy conditions, catcher Gabriel Moreno suffered a broken wrist on a wild pitch, and pitcher Cristian Mena strained his teres major shoulder, ending his season. Mena has re-aggravated the injury after reporting healthy at camp. He recently underwent imaging, and surgery remains off the table for now. Lovullo described a conservative approach, pulling him back from all drills and throwing programs to allow for rest.
Mena, 23, offered depth as a starting-pitching candidate for Triple-A Reno, having appeared in four MLB games to date. The D-backs also rely on younger arms like Kohl Drake, Dylan Ray, and Mitch Bratt to bolster their 40-man roster depth.
Follow-up note: For the latest on the rotation, keep an eye on how quickly Kelly progresses and how the club balances rest with readiness across their pitching staff.
