Diamondbacks Predicted To Trade $18 Million Pitcher After Josh Naylor Deal
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On Thursday, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Seattle Mariners seemed to start the trade deadline season off with a bang. Arizona agreed to a deal that would send first baseman Josh Naylor to the Mariners in exchange for two talented pitching prospects.
FanSided's Zachary Rotman recently predicted the Diamondbacks would continue to make moves following the Naylor trade. Rotman suggested the Diamondbacks would cut ties with Merrill Kelly in another trade deadline blockbuster.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 20: Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a first inning pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on July 20, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 20: Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a first inning pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field on July 20, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona."The right-hander has a 3.32 ERA in 21 starts and 122 innings of work, and if a start in which he allowed nine runs in 3.2 innings in early April were removed, his numbers would look even better," Rotman wrote. "Kelly has gone at least five innings in all but one of his starts, and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 14 of his 21 outings. Essentially, in two out of every three starts he makes, Kelly puts his team in a tremendous position to win, which is why, even while pitching on a Diamondbacks team bad enough to sell, Arizona has a winning record in his starts.
"Virtually every contender needs starting pitching help. Kelly might not be a true ace, but he can be a low-end No. 2 or a high-end No. 3 on a World Series team. He's underrated, and can help tilt a postseason series."
Kelly makes plenty of sense as a trade chip. He's on an expiring contract and enjoying a very solid season. The veteran seems unlikely to return to Arizona after the season, so a trade is the next reasonable step to take.
Nearly every contender could look to land Kelly because of his consistency this year. The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Chicago Cubs are just a handful of teams that will likely have interest in Kelly going forward.
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