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Rangers Get Merrill Kelly from D-Backs: What to Make of Move

Originally posted on New Baseball Media
By Chris Studley | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 10:29 AM ET

With very little time before the deadline, the Rangers beat the clock to upgrade their rotation. Right-hander Merrill Kelly of the Diamondbacks is going to the Rangers in exchange for two pitching prospects.

A Look at Kelly

When the Rangers won the World Series in 2023, Texas only lost one game in their series against the Diamondbacks. Merrill Kelly was the only pitcher in that series to pick up a win against the Rangers.

Since returning from Korea in 2018, Kelly has been a workhorse for the Diamondbacks. He threw at least 150 or more innings in four seasons between 2019 and 2023. This season, Kelly owned a 3.22 ERA, an above-average 45.2% GB%, and averaged nearly a strikeout per inning (121 over 128.2 IP).

Despite not being a hard-thrower, Kelly gets a fair amount of whiffs (24.6%). Some are off the four-seamer, while others are on a cutter that sits in the high-80s with some carry on it, which can lead to hitters swinging under it.

However, what is his A-pitch is the changeup, a pitch that only has roughly a four MPH separation on average compared to his four-seamer. But, it has a lot of sink on it; 3.8” better than the league average for right-handed pitchers.

It plays well off his sinker, and thus, helped him induce a lot of swings and misses down and out of the zone.

Merrill Kelly Whiff 2025 ARI Via New Baseball Media

The Diamondbacks, per reports, are receiving Kohl Drake and David Hagaman, both notable pitching prospects. Drake is the headliner, as the left-hander, a non-roster invite to Spring Training this season, struck out 148 over 106 innings last year. He struck out 70 over 55 in Frisco (AA) this season before pushing his way to Triple-A.

Kelly is a free agent after this season.

Analysis

After a hot July, the Rangers got themselves back in the playoff conversation.

Texas’ rotation currently includes two of the best righties in baseball: Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom. Both deGrom and Eovaldi are in the top 10 in ERA among pitchers with 18+ starts this season, and that’s not by luck.

Add in Kelly, and the Rangers now have a very formidable top three. It’s also worth noting that Kelly wasn’t the only addition by the Rangers on July 31. Texas also acquired funky lefty Danny Couloumbe from Minnesota.

This article first appeared on New Baseball Media and was syndicated with permission.

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