D-backs Announce Several Roster Moves
The Diamondbacks announced a slate of roster moves Tuesday. Catcher Gabriel Moreno was placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 11) due to an oblique strain. Fellow catcher Aramis Garcia has had his contract selected from Triple-A and will take Moreno’s spot on the roster, serving as a complement to veteran James McCann and 26-year-old Adrian Del Castillo. Arizona moved first baseman/designated hitter Pavin Smith from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to clear a 40-man spot for Garcia. The Snakes also reinstated right-hander Merrill Kelly from the 15-day injured list and optioned right-hander Taylor Rashi to Triple-A Reno.
Moreno missed the past three games after what was originally termed as a back issue. The Diamondbacks haven’t provided a timetable, but historically speaking, it’s common for even low-grade oblique strains to sideline a player for close to a month. The former top prospect is one of baseball’s more complete catchers, combining elite defense with above-average offense in each season of his still-young big league career. He was out to a fine start in 2026, hitting .275/.333/.400 in 45 turns at the plate.
With Moreno sidelined, the D-backs can use the lefty-hitting Del Castillo against right-handed pitching and the righty-swinging McCann versus southpaws. Garcia provides a viable third catching option on the roster and also has some experience at first base. He’s probably relegated to third catcher status in this setup, with Del Castillo the most obvious beneficiary on paper. He hasn’t gotten a consistent look in the majors, thanks largely to Moreno’s presence, but Del Castillo is a .276/.322/.439 hitter in 239 big league plate appearances and touts a .292/.381/.535 line in parts of four seasons (712 plate appearances) in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Garcia, 33, has played sparingly in parts of six major league seasons — including a two-game cup of coffee in Arizona last year. He’s a lifetime .208/.245/.321 hitter in 331 plate appearances. He’s never logged more than 115 plate appearances in a given major league season but is a career .240/.316/.436 hitter in just under 1400 Triple-A plate appearances.
Kelly’s return from the injured list was expected. The team moved righty Brandon Pfaadt to the bullpen yesterday to clear a spot in the rotation, where Kelly will join Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez, Ryne Nelson and offseason signee Michael Soroka. The 37-year-old Kelly also signed with Arizona this winter, returning to the D-backs on a two-year, $40MM deal after closing out the 2025 season in Texas following a deadline trade that netted three pitching prospects from the Rangers (Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt, David Hagaman).
Kelly will make his first start of the season for the Snakes tonight against the Orioles. He was slowed by back discomfort early in spring training and was thus limited to only two starts during exhibition play in the Cactus League. Kelly tossed five shutout frames for Triple-A Reno in what wound up being his only rehab outing. He might be on something of a pitch/workload limit in his season debut as he continues to build up, but it shouldn’t be long before he’s back to his workhorse ways atop manager Torey Lovullo’s rotation.
D-Backs Move Brandon Pfaadt To Bullpen
The Diamondbacks are moving Brandon Pfaadt to the bullpen, relays José M. Romero of The Arizona Republic. Merrill Kelly will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start tomorrow’s game in Baltimore.
This was the expectation. Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez and Ryne Nelson are locked into the rotation. Manager Torey Lovullo said last week that the Snakes were not considering a six-man group. Entering the season, the plan was probably for Michael Soroka to slide to long relief once Kelly was ready to go.
However, Soroka has looked very sharp in his first three starts as a Diamondback. The righty has struck out 23 of 67 batters faced (34.3%) while allowing just five runs through 15 2/3 frames. He has completed at least five innings in all three appearances, all of which the D-Backs have won.
Pfaadt has had a much shakier start to the season. The righty has allowed 12 runs (11 earned) over 16 2/3 innings. He has punched out 11 while walking six batters and surrendering three home runs. If Pfaadt were coming off a strong 2025 season, the Diamondbacks probably would have given him a longer leash. He struggled to a 5.25 earned run average with a modest 19.2% strikeout rate a season ago. Pfaadt pounds the strike zone but has battled home run issues throughout his three-plus years in the big leagues.
The Diamondbacks could have optioned him to keep him stretched out as a starter. Their Triple-A affiliate in Reno plays in an exceedingly hitter-friendly environment, so that may not have been a great setting to get him on track.
Arizona could also use any help they can get in one of the league’s weakest bullpens. Their relief corps entered play Monday with a 4.50 ERA that ranked 21st in MLB. That doesn’t include tonight’s disastrous performance. The trio of Taylor Rashi (who was immediately optioned after the game), Jonathan Loáisiga, and Andrew Hoffmann gave up seven runs and an inherited runner across 2 2/3 innings in relief of Nelson. They squandered a 7-1 lead and dropped the series opener against the Orioles by a 9-7 score.
Pfaadt could immediately draw some high-leverage assignments. The D-Backs will presumably give him another rotation opportunity at some point. He’s in the first season of the five-year, $45MM extension he signed on the eve of the 2025 season. A short-term bullpen stint might allow him to simplify his arsenal. Pfaadt has thrown six pitches at least 10% of the time, including a marked uptick in his curveball use compared to last season.
Kelly made one rehab start for Reno and pitched a game at extended spring training on Thursday. That was evidently all the ramp-up he needed from his season-opening injured list stint. Kelly was diagnosed with intercostal nerve irritation early in Spring Training. He was able to pitch by the end of camp but needed a couple extra weeks to build his arm. The injury robbed Kelly of what would have been his first career Opening Day start but didn’t wind up being all that significant overall, especially with Soroka stepping up to seize the open rotation spot.
Diamondbacks Notes: Moreno, Carroll, Kelly, Pfaadt
Gabriel Moreno is set to undergo an MRI today after leaving yesterday’s game due to lower back tightness, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic writes. Manager Torey Lovullo told Piecoro and other media yesterday that Moreno was viewed as day-to-day, and the catcher downplayed the seriousness of the issue.
The MRI could simply be a precaution given Moreno’s early exit. Moreno took one plate appearance and caught the first two innings of the Diamondbacks’ 5-4 win over the Phillies, and Moreno ended the bottom of the second by throwing out Justin Crawford on a steal attempt. Once the bottom of the third began, however, James McCann had replaced Moreno behind the plate.
The D’Backs are better equipped than most teams in handling a day-to-day injury to a catcher, as McCann and Adrian Del Castillo are both already on the active roster. Since Arizona is already dealing with several injuries up and down the lineup, the club has been able to find at-bats for all three backstops, as Del Castillo (who himself started the season on the injured list with a minor calf strain) has made two starts at DH.
Despite this catching depth, obviously the Diamondbacks hope Moreno’s back issue won’t prevent him from soon returning to action. Moreno has a solid .275/.333/.400 slash line and five doubles over his first 45 plate appearances, making him one of the more productive hitters within an Arizona lineup that has yet to really get going this season.
Corbin Carroll has been a huge part of the Diamondbacks’ offense, beginning his season by hitting .333/.408/.690 with two homers and three triples in 49 PA. The hot start came in spite of a hamate surgery that cost Carroll most of Spring Training, but he is now dealing with a new injury — a minor hip problem that has sidelined him for the last two games. Lovullo said Carroll was available off the bench yesterday and might play as early as today, plus the hip injury wasn’t considered serious enough to merit an MRI for further examination.
Moving onto the pitching side of the injured list, Merrill Kelly is slated to make his season debut during Arizona’s upcoming road series in Baltimore, which begins on Monday. Lovullo told Piecoro and company that the plan is for Kelly to toss a bullpen session with the big league team this weekend, as a final check-up before Kelly is activated from the 15-day injured list.
Kelly’s injury was officially termed as intercostal nerve irritation. The bad back kept the right-hander on the shelf for most of Spring Training, and cost him the honor of being the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day starter. Kelly tossed 6 1/3 innings during three Cactus League games, five innings during a Triple-A rehab start on April 3, and 83 pitches over six innings of work during an extended Spring Training game last Thursday (as per reporter Jody Jackson).
With Kelly on the verge of returning, Piecoro feels Brandon Pfaadt will probably be removed from the rotation. Pfaadt is starting today’s game with the Phillies, so there might be a bit of extra pressure on the right-hander if he’s competing to keep his spot. Michael Soroka is the other starter whose rotation spot is less assured, but Soroka has a 2.87 ERA through 15 2/3 innings and three starts.
While Soroka has been solid, Pfaadt has a 6.75 ERA over 10 2/3 frames in his first two starts of 2026. If he isn’t starting, Piecoro writes that the D’Backs could use Pfaadt in an extended long relief role on the active roster, rather than send him to Triple-A to keep him stretched out as a proper starter.
Diamondbacks Notes: Santana, Kelly
Carlos Santana left today’s game with right groin discomfort, and manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic) that Santana will undergo an MRI tomorrow. The injury developed during an at-bat in the second inning, though Santana still managed to hit a single before being replaced by a pinch-runner.
The Diamondbacks have an off-day Monday before embarking on a nine-day, nine-game road trip on Tuesday against the Mets. The MRI will keep Santana from traveling with the club tomorrow, Lovullo said, though the first baseman could join the D’Backs in relatively short order depending on the test results. Even if the MRI is clean, it would seem like Santana will get at least a couple of rest days to make sure he’s entirely healthy.
The groin problem continues Santana’s rocky start to the 2026 campaign. Santana’s single today was just his second hit in 26 plate appearances, as the veteran has a dismal .083/.154/.125 slash line. Arizona signed Santana to a one-year, $2MM free agent deal to handle first base in a platoon with Pavin Smith, but that plan hasn’t really launched since Smith appeared in only two games before elbow inflammation sent him to the 10-day injured list.
Jose Fernandez was called up from Triple-A to replace Smith, and he has hit .250/.250/.625 with two homers over his first 16 PA at the big league level. Smith isn’t eligible to be activated until April 8 at the earliest, and if Santana is also IL-bound, the D’Backs might toggle first base duties between Fernandez and utilityman Ildemaro Vargas in the interim. Tyler Locklear isn’t an option in the first base picture until at least mid-May, as Locklear is recovering from offseason surgeries on both his left elbow and left shoulder.
In other injury news, Merrill Kelly should be on track to make his 2026 debut during the Diamondbacks’ road trip, though not after completing a second minor league rehab start. Lovullo told Piecoro and company that the team wants to see Kelly get a bit more “buildup” after the righty threw 72 pitches in his first rehab outing.
“I know he feels differently because he wants to go out there and compete….[but] we want to make darn sure, so we don’t take any steps backward,” Lovullo said.
Kelly developed a back problem early in Spring Training, and started the season on the 15-day IL due to what was officially termed as intercostal nerve irritation. Kelly recovered to the point that he was able to pitch in three Cactus League games, but he logged only 6 1/3 total innings, and a 12.79 ERA in that limited sample indicated Kelly wasn’t fully ready.
While health and comfort are the priorities in a rehab assignment over on-field results, Kelly looked pretty good over five scoreless Triple-A innings last Friday. The righty allowed two hits, two walks, and he hit a batter over his five frames and 72 pitches, with velocity in line with his career norms.
Diamondbacks Designate Grant Holman For Assignment
The Diamondbacks announced they’ve designated reliever Grant Holman for assignment. They also placed righty Cristian Mena (shoulder strain) and left-hander Blake Walston (rehabbing Tommy John surgery) on the 60-day injured list. They needed to clear three 40-man roster spots for Joe Ross, Jonathan Loáisiga and Ildemaro Vargas — all of whom have officially been selected onto the MLB roster.
They placed four more players on the injured list, as expected. Adrian Del Castillo (left calf strain), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (recovering from ACL tear), and Tyler Locklear (rehabbing elbow/shoulder surgeries) all hit the 10-day IL. Merrill Kelly lands on the 15-day injured list with intercostal nerve irritation. Those placements are retroactive to March 22.
Arizona claimed Holman off waivers from the Athletics early in Spring Training. The 25-year-old righty has pitched parts of two seasons with the A’s, allowing a 4.66 ERA across 38 2/3 innings. He has fanned a below-average 18.8% of opponents against a lofty 10.2% walk rate. Holman made just one appearance this spring before being optioned, working around a walk to toss a scoreless inning.
The Diamondbacks will likely try to run him through waivers this week. Holman has just over one year of MLB service and still has a couple minor league options remaining. He works in the 94-95 mph range with his fastball while using a splitter and slider as his offspeed pitches.
Merrill Kelly To Begin Season On Diamondbacks’ 15-Day IL
Back problems have limited Merrill Kelly to just two Spring Training outings, and thus it isn’t any surprise that Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced today that Kelly would start the season on the 15-day injured list. Lovullo told reporters (including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports) that the club’s starting five will consist of Zac Gallen, Ryne Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez, Michael Soroka, and Brandon Pfaadt while Kelly recovers.
Kelly’s injury issues surfaced about a month ago, and it was enough to immediately scuttle plans for Kelly to get the Opening Day start. The right-hander received some injections that helped ease the discomfort enough that there was hope that the IL could be avoided altogether, though Kelly didn’t get into any game action until March 13. Over two Cactus League starts, Kelly has been rocked for an 8.31 ERA in 4 1/3 innings, so it’s clear he isn’t quite ready for prime time.
The results themselves aren’t really a red flag, since Kelly is still in the relatively early stages of his ramp-up given how his normal routine was interrupted by his bad back. Assuming he is able to get through extended Spring Training as expected, Kelly may just miss the minimum amount of time on the injured list.
A right shoulder strain 2024 and a nerve impingement in 2020 were both notable injuries for the right-hander, but Kelly has by and large been pretty durable over his seven MLB seasons, including a 184-inning campaign with the D’Backs and Rangers in 2025. After being traded to Texas at the deadline, Kelly returned to Arizona on a two-year, $40MM deal with a vesting option for the 2028 campaign (which would be Kelly’s age-39 season).
Between Kelly’s return and Gallen also somewhat surprising re-signing with Arizona on a one-year deal after his free agent market failed to develop, Soroka is the only new face within a familiar Diamondbacks rotation mix. Corbin Burnes will be back at some point in the second half once he recovers from his Tommy John surgery, so if all goes well, the D’Backs might be dealing with a surplus of arms later in the season if everyone is pitching well. Soroka is the likeliest candidate to move to the bullpen once Kelly is activated from the IL.
Diamondbacks Notes: Moreno, Lawlar, Kelly, Burnes
The D-Backs scratched catcher Gabriel Moreno from tonight’s Spring Training matchup against the Royals, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports). The Gold Glover is dealing with forearm tightness and headed for imaging.
Lovullo largely downplayed the concern, noting that it’s only a slight issue for Moreno when he throws. It seems the MRI is precautionary, though it’s a situation the D-Backs will closely monitor. Moreno has had his share of injuries over the past few seasons. He missed time in 2023 with a left shoulder issue, had thumb and adductor strains in ’24, then missed two months last season when a foul tip broke his right index finger.
When healthy, Moreno is one of the better two-way catchers in MLB. He’s coming off a .285/.353/.433 showing at the plate. He’s an excellent all-around defender, a quality receiver with a plus arm who has thrown out 30% of basestealers in his career.
Non-roster invitee Aramis Garcia drew into tonight’s starting lineup. He’s slated to open the season in Triple-A but would probably break camp if Moreno’s forearm discomfort leads to an injured list stint. James McCann is currently set for the backup role and would then be the primary option behind the dish. Adrian Del Castillo, the only other catcher on the 40-man roster, hasn’t played this spring because of a left calf strain. He’ll open the season on the 10-day injured list.
Elsewhere in camp, Arizona’s outfield picture is coming into focus. Corbin Carroll returned to the lineup as a designated hitter on Wednesday. He’s a month removed from a hamate fracture in his right hand that required surgery. Carroll has maintained optimism that he’ll be ready for Opening Day and is trending in that direction. He still needs to clear the hurdle of getting back in the outfield but projects as the season-opening right fielder.
Jordan Lawlar has had an excellent camp as he tries to nail down the center field job. The former top prospect is hitting .323 with four homers across 37 plate appearances. Lawlar, who had never played the outfield prior to offseason work in the Dominican Winter League, has logged 66 innings over 10 center field starts this spring.
Lovullo spoke highly of the 23-year-old’s early work in center (link via Steve Gilbert of MLB.com). They’ll take the latter part of camp to move him around, as he’s also expected to get work some in the corner outfield. Lovullo added that the Snakes still view Lawlar as an emergency option at shortstop, but his infield defense was a major issue last year. The D-Backs acquired Nolan Arenado to join Geraldo Perdomo on the left side of the infield, meaning Lawlar is most valuable to the team as an outfielder.
The bat should ensure he’s on an Opening Day roster for the first time in his career, likely in center field. Alek Thomas will probably play left until Lourdes Gurriel Jr. recovers from last season’s ACL tear. Left field prospect Ryan Waldschmidt had an outside chance of breaking camp, but he’s hitting .257 with 11 strikeouts and only two walks across 37 plate appearances this spring. Waldschmidt figures to open the season at Triple-A Reno.
On the pitching side, Merrill Kelly is making his exhibition debut tonight. He’d been held up by back soreness early in camp. The injury scuttled plans for Kelly to make his first career Opening Day start, but it’s not a given that he’ll begin the season on the injured list. The Snakes could move him to the back of the rotation and hope he’s ready for even an abbreviated regular season debut during the first week of April. Zac Gallen has been tabbed for his fourth straight Opening Day start instead.
Corbin Burnes is the actual ace, though he’s still months away from a return to game action. The former Cy Young winner hit a notable milestone in his rehab from last June’s Tommy John surgery. Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports that Burnes threw a 15-pitch bullpen session on Friday — his first mound work since the operation. The four-time All-Star was encouraged by the outing, noting that he ran his fastball up to 91 mph (higher than he’d anticipated for his first bullpen session) while commanding the ball as hoped.
NL West Notes: Carroll, Kelly, France, Song
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll emerged from his live batting practice session unscathed on Friday as he works his way back from a broken hamate bone. The two-time All-Star told reporters, including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, that he’s nearing a return to Spring Training action. Carroll added that he wants to get into 10 spring games.
Carroll is still less than a month removed from his February 11 surgery. He’d certainly be on the early end of the typical timeline to return from the procedure if he returns to the field soon. Manager Torey Lovullo pushed back a bit on Carroll’s outlook. “I respect Corbin’s drive and determination, that’s what makes him great. But in this case, the medical team is still in control of what’s going on,” Lovullo told reporters, including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports.
If Carroll does get into Spring Training games, his power stroke will be something to watch. Hamate bone injuries tend to impact slugging, particularly early on. Carroll popped a career-high 31 home runs this past season. He boosted his hard-hit rate to 49.9%, exactly 9% higher than his previous best. Carroll more than doubled his barrel rate year-over-year, jumping from 7.2% in 2024 to 14.5% last year.
Merrill Kelly continues to make progress after a back issue threatened to place him on the IL to begin the 2026 campaign. The right-hander was scratched from a live batting practice session in late February and told reporters he was unlikely to be ready for the opener. His tone changed last weekend following a cortisone and lidocaine injection. He was able to play catch without issue, and recently came out of a bullpen session free of setbacks. Kelly is set for a live batting practice session on Sunday, Lovullo told reporters (h/t to Weiner again).
The injury set Kelly back a couple of weeks, but he’s now on track to break camp with the team and avoid the injured list. If Arizona slots him at the back of the rotation, his turn wouldn’t come up until March 31 against the Tigers. An off-day on March 29 could allow the Diamondbacks to push Kelly back even further, if they desired. Michael Soroka could step in as the fifth starter to give Kelly extra time to get ready.
Elsewhere in the division, Ty France is making a push to break camp with the Padres, notes Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The veteran infielder hit three balls at least 105 mph in Saturday’s Spring Training matchup against the Guardians. One went for a double, pushing France’s OPS to .944 this spring. “He needs to keep swinging like he did today,” manager Craig Stammen said. “If you can hit, we’ll find a place for you.”
Stammen added that the veteran would get more opportunities at second and third base. France has made a total of three appearances at second base over the past four big-league seasons. He hasn’t played the hot corner since 2022. The added defensive versatility would give him a leg up for a roster spot on a squad with several first base/DH options.
San Diego’s outfield is set with Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Ramon Laureano, which pushes Gavin Sheets to first base. That leaves France to battle with Miguel Andujar, Nick Castellanos, and Jose Miranda for DH and potentially platoon work with the lefty-swinging Sheets. For his part, Miranda has matched France for the team lead in hits this spring at nine.
There could be another bench spot up for grabs depending on Sung-Mun Song’s recovery from an oblique injury. The former KBO standout dealt with a right oblique issue in the offseason, but came to camp healthy. He then felt renewed tightness in the oblique during a spring game on Thursday and had to be removed. Acee relayed that the team has been encouraged by Song’s progress since then. “They’re going to try to get him moving around here today,” Stammen said. “We’ll see when (he starts) swinging a bat.”
The club is hopeful Song will get back into Spring Training games at some point. A Cactus League appearance would put him on track to be ready for Opening Day. Stammen added that the outfield experiment is paused for now.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Latest On Merrill Kelly, Corbin Carroll
The Diamondbacks have already had to deal with an unwelcome number of injury scares to key players, though Sunday’s news brought some optimism that Merrill Kelly and Corbin Carroll could both still be a part of the Opening Day roster.
Right at the very start of Spring Training, Carroll underwent surgery to fix a broken hamate bone in his right hand, putting him out of action for roughly 4-to-8 weeks (the usual timeline following such procedures). Last weekend, Kelly was scratched from throwing a live batting practice session due to some back soreness, and the discomfort persisted even though both an MRI and CT scan came back clean. Officially, the diagnosis is intercostal nerve irritation, according to the D’Backs.
It was enough for Kelly to tell the media last Wednesday that he was likely going to be starting the season on the 15-day injured list, though his outlook was different today. Kelly told MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert and other reporters that he received an injection of cortisone and lidocaine earlier this week, and had a pain-free session of catch today. While Kelly won’t act as the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day starter on March 26, the aim is for Kelly to now pitch at the back of Arizona’s rotation, which would line the righty up for his season debut during the team’s second series of the year.
The D’Backs begin the 2026 campaign with three games in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, and then after an off-day, return home for a seven-game homestand against the Tigers and Braves. Given the March 29 off-day, the Snakes could technically delay Kelly’s first start beyond the first five games, though that would leave the club essentially playing a man short until Kelly is ready to take the mound.
With more than three weeks to go until Opening Day, there is still time for Kelly to restart his throwing progression and get fully ready to go, assuming his good health persists. Even if Kelly is only built up to throw something like 50-60 pitches, the D’Backs could use a piggyback starter or lean on the bullpen during the veteran’s first start. On the flip side, Arizona could also simply place Kelly on the IL to give him extra time to heal up, and make sure he is ready to hit the ground running once he takes the mound.
As for Carroll, it has been a little under three weeks since his February 11 surgery, but he described his progress as “definitely ahead of schedule.” The outfielder told Gilbert and other reporters that he started catching fly balls (Carroll’s right hand is his glove hand) today, and he has started to hit with both hands on the bat.
“It’s very low intensity, like flips and tee [work]….I think some other guys that have gone through a hamate injury were happy to see where I am [given] how far I am out of surgery,” Carroll said.
Manager Torey Lovullo described Carroll’s process as “right up to that line of doing too much. He’s pushing as hard as he can and as far as he can, and we love that. So we’ll continue to get updates from [hand surgeon] Don Sheridan and our medical team about what the next steps are, but yeah, he’s doing really, really well.”
Being able to hit and catch normally without any discomfort is only part of Carroll’s path to recovery, as he’ll then have to try and make up for time lost during Spring Training. Carroll has been taking part in other baseball activities, so he won’t be starting from square one once he is fully cleared. It then becomes a question of how many Cactus League games Carroll may be able to play in before March 26, and how many he’ll need before he feels properly ramped up for the regular season.
Diamondbacks Notes: Kelly, Pfaadt, Mena
The Diamondbacks rotation is an early focus in camp. Right-hander Merrill Kelly was slated to be the Opening Day starter but a back issue has scuttled those plans, even though an exact diagnosis has proved elusive. Manager Torey Lovullo tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that Kelly still has enough time to be stretched out for Arizona’s second series of the season.
The Snakes begin their season on March 26th with three games in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. They then have an off-day before starting a seven-game homestand with Detroit coming to town for three and Atlanta for four. Though Kelly won’t take the ball for Opening Day, it would be nice to get him in there at some point fairly early in the schedule.
That will presumably be contingent on his body cooperating. He has been subject to a number of recent tests, including an MRI and a CT scan, without anything conclusive being discovered. While it’s encouraging that the tests keep coming back negative, Kelly has still been experiencing pain while throwing.
Time will tell how things play out with Kelly. If he does eventually require some time on the injured list, then the rotation jobs should go to Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodríguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Michael Soroka. Pfaadt is also under the microscope somewhat, as Piecoro relays that he had some kind of issue with his side during the offseason. He appears to be fine now but the club is slow-playing his progression a bit.
Beyond that group, the depth is lacking in experience. Cristian Mena, Yilber Díaz, Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt and Dylan Ray are on the 40-man roster. The latter three haven’t yet cracked the majors. Díaz has just 31 1/3 innings while Mena has only 9 2/3.
Mena is also unlikely to be available anytime soon. He didn’t pitch after June last year due to a strain of the teres major in his throwing shoulder. Per Piecoro, Mena has re-aggravated that teres major injury recently. His timetable isn’t exactly clear but he has been shut down from throwing for the time being.
If everything goes well, Soroka could end up in a long relief/swingman role, ready to jump into the rotation as soon as someone gets hurt as Kelly, Gallen, Rodríguez, Pfaadt and Nelson make starts. But Kelly’s status is up in the air and Pfaadt is being monitored closely. The depth was already on the light side and now Mena has been subtracted from it, at least for now. Non-roster guys with big league experience include Joe Ross, Thomas Hatch and Bryce Jarvis.
If the Snakes want to add to the group, there are still starting pitching free agents available. Lucas Giolito and Zack Littell are the two most notable ones but Patrick Corbin, Tyler Anderson and a few others are also out there. The club may be reluctant to add more money to the ledger, however, as they already stretched beyond their plans when grabbing Gallen a couple of weeks ago.
Photo courtesy of Rob Schumacher, Imagn Images