Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly called out the Reds and the pitching mound at Great American Ball Park. Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Is Merrill Kelly Making Last Start for Diamondbacks this Season?

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Jack Sommers | Last updated Jul 26, 2025 10:00 AM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Pittsburgh Pirates face off for game two of a three-game series Saturday night at 3:40 p.m. MST.

Arizona took game one in 11 innings by a score of 1-0. It was the seventh shutout by the Diamondbacks pitching staff this season, and second 1-0 victory. They will hope to break out the bats in game two.

The D-backs enter play 4.0 games behind the San Diego Padres for the third NL Wild Card position.

Diamondbacks and Pirates Starting Pitching Matchup

Jack Sommers

Merrill Kelly is somehow still just about the most underrated starting pitcher in MLB. Since the start of the 2022 season his 12 Baseball-Reference WAR ranks 10th in MLB. And that does not include his stellar work in the 2023 when he posted a 2.25 ERA in four starts, 24 innings while going 3-1.

He's having another excellent season in 2025, in which he's been extremely reliable, posting 12 quality starts to lead his team (Brandon Pfaadt is next with eight).

Kelly is 3-0 with a 3.68 ERA in four career starts against the Pirates, but he hasn't faced them in 2023.

Kelly is a free agent at the end of 2025, and there is a lot of expectation that he could be moved at the trade deadline. Emotions will be running high during this outing, as everyone is aware of the situation.

If it is his last start with the Diamondbacks, he'll want to do well, and his teammates will want to come through for him.

Veteran left-hander Andrew Heaney was having a good season through June 12, posting a 3.33 ERA in his first 14 starts, 78 innings. The D-backs got to him for five runs on eight hits in five innings on May 26, however.

His season took a turn south on June 19, which began a six game streak in which he's allowed 28 runs in 23.2 innings, inflating his ERA to 5.03.

One thing Heaney has going for him in this start is the D-backs are 11-18 when facing a left-hand starter in 2025. They've also been slumping as a team over their last four games. So he may have caught them at the right time.

Diamondbacks vs Pirates Lineup

(Check back later for lineups.)

Pick to Click: Ketel Marte is 4-for-9 with two homers against Heaney in his career.

Diamondbacks and Pirates Bullpens

Anthony DeSclafani threw four scoreless innings and Kevin Ginkel stranded the ghost runner at third in his inning of work on Friday night. The team was off on Thursday, so the rest of the bullpen is completely rested.

Pittsburgh used four relievers in Friday's game, including an inning apiece from high-leverage reliever Dennis Santana and closer David Bednar.