PHOENIX – As the 2026 MLB Opening Day comes up, the Arizona Diamondbacks will need to find a new option for their starting pitcher as Merrill Kelly has now been ruled out with a back injury.
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Arizona pitcher Merrill Kelly during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, Scottsdale. © Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Merrill Kelly to miss Opening Day start for D-backs with injury:
Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly, who was scheduled to be their opening day starter against the Dodgers, is now sidelined with Intercostal nerve irritation and no longer will be ready for season opener.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 25, 2026
Arizona pitcher Corbin Burnes (back) and pitching coach Brian Kaplan watch pitcher Kelly (29) throw during spring training workouts on Feb. 10, 2026, at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. © Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The plan was simple. With Corbin Burnes rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, the Arizona Diamondbacks handed the ball to Merrill Kelly to open the season against the Dodgers, as he is steady, durable, and trusted. Now sidelined with intercostal nerve irritation despite clean tests, Merrill Kelly admitted that Thursday was likely off the table. For a club that built its offseason around pitching stability, the timing stings.
Merrill Kelly said the tests have all come back clean, but he still feels something in his back when he throws. He admitted starting on Opening Day was probably off the table. pic.twitter.com/VvszTN8gBc
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) February 25, 2026
Burnes’ absence already removed the traditional ace layer. Kelly’s two-year return was about continuity with a veteran who limits walks and commands tempo. His value isn’t flash; it’s reliability. Now that Kelly is unavailable, will the spotlight shift to Zac Gallen? Re-signed and familiar with the market’s expectations, Gallen could now get a massive opportunity. Gallen, who tested free agency this offseason, will now have a chance to show why he deserves a big contract.
Merrill Kelly diagnosis (short term issue hopefully) but no Opening Day pic.twitter.com/ehqWleWgMw
— Jody Jackson (@Jody_Jackson) February 25, 2026
For D-backs fans, this isn’t just about one April start. It’s about rotation sequencing, bullpen strain, and whether the Diamondbacks can tread water early in a division where every game against Los Angeles feels amplified.
Jun 15, 2025; Phoenix, Ariz., U.S.; Arizona right-hander Kelly (29) pitches against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. © Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Arizona doesn’t need dominance in March; it needs durability by May. If Kelly’s issue proves minor and Gallen stabilizes the top, the disruption becomes a footnote. Opening Day may have changed for the Diamondbacks, though the stakes didn’t.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
