Merrill Kelly Looks to Continue String of Quality Starts vs Marlins

The Arizona Diamondbacks (9-7) take on the Miami Marlins (8-7) at loanDepot Park for the first of a three-game series. First pitch is set for 3:40 p.m. MST.

Since it is April 15, all of Major League Baseball will be celebrating Jackie Robinson Day. All players will be wearing the number 42 on the back of their jerseys. The Diamondbacks will be hosting their own celebration of Jackie Robinson a week from today at Chase Field.

The series will serve as a homecoming for former Marlins Garrett Hampson, A.J. Puk, and Josh Naylor. Hampson and Puk were on the Marlins' 2023 Wild Card squad while Naylor was a former top pick by Miami in the 2015 Draft.

Starting Pitchers

Merrill Kelly (2-1, 7.20 ERA) has had a somewhat inconsistent performance to start the season. In his two starts at Chase Field, he is 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA. In his lone road start, he allowed nine runs in 3.2 innings in a 9-7 loss to the New York Yankees.

In his last start against the Baltimore Orioles, Kelly allowed two earned runs on three hits, two walks, and four strikeouts in six-plus innings in a Diamondbacks 4-3 win. It marked the first of five straight Quality Starts to close out the homestand, a streak he hopes to continue.

While the performances have been inconsistent, the underlying metrics are not a good sign. Kelly is allowing barrels on 15.4% of batted balls, and a hard-hit rate of 47.2%. Most of the damage has come in the Yankees game when he surrendered three home runs and nine hits.

Kelly hasn't had much success against the Marlins, going 0-2 with a 6.56 ERA in four starts.

Coincidentally, Kelly started on Jackie Robinson Day in 2024 when he faced the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field.

Connor Gillispie was claimed off waivers by the Marlins in January. Originally an Orioles draft pick in 2019, he was taken in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft by the Cleveland Guardians and later debuted with the team in 2024. After being non-tendered, he signed a major league deal with the Atlanta Braves and was designated for assignment on January 23.

In three starts this season, Gillispie is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA. He has not gone more than five innings or 85 pitches in a start. Despite the decent track record, the Marlins are 0-3 in his starts.

Gillispie features a four-seamer that averages 91 MPH, a sweeper, a cutter, and a changeup. He mixes his four pitches equally against left-handed hitters while primarily being a fastball, cutter, sweeper pitcher against right-handed hitters.

Gillispie has never faced the Diamondbacks in his career.

Starting Lineups