Before participating in a fanfest watch party in downtown Phoenix for the Diamondbacks’ series opener against the Phillies on Friday, Merrill Kelly shared his expected timeline for returning to the mound for Arizona.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Kelly has been on the 60-day IL since April 20th due to a right shoulder injury. He was arguably the Diamondbacks’ strongest pitcher before his injury, posting a 2.19 ERA across four starts, each lasting at least five innings.
As of early June, Kelly is currently undergoing a throwing program.
On Friday, he revealed that he is aiming for a mid-August return, stating, “In my mind, I’m hoping I’m on that Tampa, Miami, and Boston trip. I’ve wanted to go on that trip all year and that seems to be around the right time that I’m back in there but obviously, things can change as we go along.”
Merrill Kelly seems to be hinting at mid-August as a potential return date from his injury. He mentioned hopefully being back for the team's road trip through Tampa, Miami, and Boston on August 16-25. pic.twitter.com/DoffQhOZlY
— Burn City Sports (@BurnCitySports) June 22, 2024
Kelly also admitted that this timeline is later than originally anticipated, as he had initially aimed for a return around the All-Star break in mid-July. “Originally we thought it was kind of All-Star Break but with how the progression lines up, it’s probably a little bit later than that.”
The Diamondbacks currently have three of their starting pitchers on the IL, with Kelly joined by Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez. Despite nearing the halfway point of the 2024 season, they have yet to have a fully healthy starting rotation this year. The D-backs’ total pitching staff ranks 26th overall in Major League Baseball.
Yet, while having one of the worst ERAs in the league, Arizona has managed to stay within striking distance of an NL Wild Card spot. After their loss to the Phillies, the Diamondbacks are now one game below .500 and half a game behind the third and final Wild Card spot, a better position than they were in at this time last year.
