The Arizona Diamondbacks have signed another core player to a contract extension, this time with pitcher Merrill Kelly. The D-backs signed Kelly out of Korea following the 2018 season with the gamble that he could develop into a reliable starter. Over his three seasons in Arizona, Kelly made 64 starts and pitched to a 4.27 ERA and 4.6 bWAR in 372 2⁄3 innings. Kelly overcame thoracic outlet syndrome to post his best year in a D-backs uniform in 2021, making 27 starts and delivering 2.5 bWAR in value on a 52-win team. The team is gambling on him to be able to provide similar value the next two seasons, even though those are Kelly’s Age 34 and 35 seasons.
What does the Merrill Kelly extension mean for the Arizona Diamondbacks?
