The backs are in the market for rotation help this offseason, and there’s mutual interest between the team and the longtime right-hander Merrill Kelly“, reports Arizona Sports 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro. Reunion with the Right Zach Gallen This is considered less likely, he added. In addition to “clear” interest in re-signing Kelly, Gambadoro added that Arizona is open to the idea of bringing in Kelly Paul Goldschmidt Back in Phoenix — albeit more of a part-time/platoon role at first base.
Kelly, 37, spent six and a half seasons in Arizona’s rotation before being traded to the Rangers at this summer’s deadline. The former Rays farmhand rose to prominence in the Korean Baseball Organization from 2015-18 and had never pitched in a major league game before the D-Backs signed him to a two-year deal in the 2018-19 offseason.
As it turns out, this meager investment turned out to be a stroke of genius. Kelly subsequently re-signed with the Snakes and eventually started 162 of 953 innings in Arizona with a 3.74 ERA. All three pitching prospects the Snakes acquired in the trade that sent Kelly to Texas now rank around the top 20 in the Diamondbacks’ system; Baseball America recently ranked righties David Hagman Their No. 5 prospect. left handed Cole Drake and right-handers Mickey Bratt Ranked lower on BA’s D-back list, but closer to the majors. Both could debut in 2026.
Bringing Kelly back to Chase Field after receiving a lucrative trade return would be a great option for the D-back. Even with the season still underway, Kelly was asked (during a series back in Arizona as a visitor) if he would be willing to return as a free agent.
“I’ve expressed my love for this place,” Kelly said at the time (video link via 98.7’s Jake Garcia). Advertisement
The D-backs have made no secret of the fact that they will be cutting payroll after hitting $200MM for the first time in franchise history last year. With multiple rotation spots and multiple bullpen roles to fill, this could be a daunting task. However, considering Kelly will be playing next year at age 37, he won’t be looking for the kind of long-term mega-deal that some of his free-agent peers are. He will likely sign a two-year deal on the open market, which will certainly only enhance his appeal to the Diamondbacks. According to RosterResource, Arizona currently projects a salary of about $145MM.
With that in mind, a Goldschmidt reunion also makes sense for a team that could use a right-handed platoon at first base. Parvin Smith Seems likely to enter the season as Arizona’s primary option at first base or designated hitter (depending on the extent of his right swing) Taylor Locklear Looks like next spring). Smith hit .262/.357/.475 with 17 homers in 446 games over the past two seasons, but he’s been limited by injuries and nearly all of his production has come from right-handed pitching. Smith, a lefty, has made just 47 plate appearances left-to-left since 2024 and has a career batting average of .222/.296/.301 against lefties.
At 38 years old, Goldschmidt is no longer the annual MVP threat he once was. He spent 2025 with the Yankees, starting hot but limping to subpar results over the final four months. His .274/.328/.403 batting line is about league average, but since June 1, Goldschmidt is hitting just .226/.277/.333 (69 wRC+).
However, one thing he’s done all season long is hit left-handed pitching like he always has. Goldschmidt posted a horrific .247/.289/.329 line against right-handers, but crushed lefties with a .336/.411/.570 clip in 168 plate appearances. He made $12MM last year, and he may be considering taking a further pay cut due to the significant platoon gap and poor performance. Critics may label the reunion as nostalgia for a player past his prime, but Goldschmidt can still provide value in a limited role. And, for someone so talented, rebounding to better numbers against right-handers can never be definitely ruled out; Goldschmidt didn’t hit right-handers at all in 2024-25, but he hit .259/.359/.446 against right-handers in 2023.
