Rangers acquire top starting pitcher in trade with Diamondbacks

The Texas Rangers are the latest team to take an aggressive approach to the MLB trade deadline, even though they are no certainty to make the playoffs.

The Rangers are acquiring pitcher Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to multiple reports. The 36-year-old pitcher is a free agent at the end of the season.

Texas gave up two minor league pitchers to land Kelly, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The move is a bit of surprise, as the Boston Red Sox had been linked heavily to Kelly. The Rangers also do not having a glaring need in their rotation, but have opted to reinforce a position of strength with the move.

Kelly has been very good for Arizona this season despite the team’s struggles. He has a 3.22 ERA in 22 starts this season, and while not necessarily a power arm, he is excellent at limiting walks and hard contact. He also has playoff experience, as he posted a 2.25 ERA in 24 innings of work during the 2023 postseason.

The Rangers enter play Thursday with a 57-52 record and are tied with the Seattle Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot. The strategy is clearly to lean hard on their starting pitching to try to turn that into a playoff spot.