Latest news with #DBacks
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
After loss, Merrill Kelly reflects on future with DBacks as trade deadline nears
PITTSBURGH — If this were his last start with the Diamondbacks, right-hander Merrill Kelly wasn't about to close the door forever. Having already seen two of his teammates shipped out in the past three days, Kelly knows there is at least a decent chance he will be dealt, too, sometime before the July 31 trade deadline. But if that were to happen, Kelly, an impending free agent, sounded fully open to reuniting with the club in the offseason. 'There's definitely been thoughts all day that this one could be the last one in a DBacks uniform — at least for now,' Kelly said after giving up two runs (one earned) in 6⅔ innings of a 2-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday, July 26, at PNC Park. 'I'm never going to rule out that this is the last one ever, just with how much this team means to me and how much home and the Valley mean to me and my family.' It was, to say the least, a memorable evening. During the bottom of the fourth, trainer Ryan DiPanfilo tapped Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo on the shoulder. DiPanfilo had received word that outfielder Randal Grichuk had been traded and that Grichuk should be removed from the game at the end of the half-inning. When the inning ended, Lovullo pulled Grichuk down the tunnel. Moments later, Grichuk was back in the dugout, exchanging hugs and saying his goodbyes. Kelly was among those to wish him well. Later in the evening, after he had been removed, Kelly remained in the dugout until the end of the game. Sometimes, he says, he will do that when he pitches into the late innings, making his arm-care routine a postgame chore rather than doing it while the game is ongoing. But he admitted there were sentimental reasons he stuck around so long. 'I think those thoughts are going to be inevitable,' he said. 'We all know the deadline is in four days now.' Six and a half years ago, the Diamondbacks signed Kelly, then 30, to his first major-league deal. He had spent the previous four years pitching in South Korea, honing his craft, and the Diamondbacks were one of the first teams to contact him once he officially hit free agency. He signed with them within just a few days. Over the past seven seasons, he has been a mainstay in the club's rotation, logging a career 3.74 ERA in 953 innings and playing a pivotal role in the team's World Series run in 2023. Kelly went to high school in Scottsdale at Desert Mountain. He played at Arizona State. Arizona remains home for him. Kelly and his agent have made it clear to general manager Mike Hazen he would be interested in rejoining the Diamondbacks even if he were to be traded. 'These guys know where I stand on being a Diamondback,' Kelly said. 'Obviously, I understand the nature of the beast and the business aspect of it. The idea of — if I do get traded and if I do go somewhere — playing for a team that's contending right now and has a good chance of going to the playoffs and going to the World Series, at this point in my career, I'm open to that, of course. I don't know how many more years I have left. Hopefully, enough. At this point in my career, I think anything can happen, so the chance to win is obviously in the forefront of my mind. 'That all being said, I love being here. I have always loved being here. I would always be open to being a snake moving forward.' Brandyn Garcia added to roster PITTSBURGH — The Diamondbacks recalled newly acquired left-hander Brandyn Garcia on Saturday, July 26, making room for him on the roster by designating right-hander Trevor Richards for assignment. Garcia, 25, was acquired from the Seattle Mariners two days ago as part of the return for first baseman Josh Naylor. He made his major league debut on Monday, July 21, and was traded to the Diamondbacks three days later. "It's been fun," Garcia said. "That's the best way I would describe it. Debuting on Monday, throwing on Monday, throwing on Wednesday, then figuring out getting traded. It's been a lot. But it's been fun. A good experience." Garcia has a fastball that averages around 97 mph, along with a slider and a sweeper. A starter before this season, he said he has enjoyed transitioning into relief work. "It's been different," he said. "A different schedule, everything like that. But it's nothing crazy. Nothing too big that I couldn't handle. I honestly like it a little bit better. I get to go out there and throw as hard as I can for one inning. It's been good." Del Castillo doing work at first base For at least the third time in the past week, catcher Adrian Del Castillo was taking ground balls on the infield on Saturday, July 26. The club is taking a look at how Del Castillo might handle first base, though there are no immediate plans for him to see time there. 'I feel fine,' Del Castillo said. 'A little bit awkward. But that's normal. I haven't caught grounders in quite a long time.' Del Castillo said he occasionally would take grounders in the minors on days he wasn't starting behind the plate. His most recent experience on the infield came during his college days at Miami when he played briefly at third base. He downplayed the idea that he was in the process of changing positions, but he said if the club wanted him to play first he would be fine with it. 'I'm all for it,' he said. 'I'm all for anything as long as it gets me on the field playing.' Alek Thomas expected back for series finale Center fielder Alek Thomas is expected to return from the bereavement list ahead of the game on Sunday, July 27, manager Torey Lovullo said. Thomas will miss the first two games of the Pirates series following a death in the family. In other news, right-hander Shelby Miller threw a bullpen session and lefty Jalen Beeks threw a live session on July 27. Miller seems to have moved past the back issues that had bothered him in recent days, Lovullo said. Lovullo said first baseman Pavin Smith hit off a tee on July 27 as he progresses from an oblique strain. Coming up July 27: At Pittsburgh, 10:35 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zac Gallen (7-11, 5.58) vs. Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (5-8, 1.91). July 28: At Detroit, 3:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (3-6, 5.50) vs. Tigers RHP Casey Mize (9-4, 3.40). July 29: At Detroit, 3:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (10-6, 4.76) vs. Tigers RHP Troy Melton (0-1, 10.80). This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks at Pirates: Game underway after delay
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arizona Diamondbacks send Merrill Kelly to Texas Rangers
The Diamondbacks made a pair of moves in the final hour before the trade deadline on Thursday, July 31, sending right-hander Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers for a trio of pitching prospects and packaging right-hander Shelby Miller in a cost-cutting deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Diamondbacks ultimately decided, however, to keep right-hander Zac Gallen, apparently content with either collecting a draft pick for his departure as a free agent or having him accept a qualifying offer and return for 2026. In exchange for Kelly, the Diamondbacks received left-handers Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt and right-hander David Hagaman. Drake ranks as the Rangers' ninth-best prospect, per Baseball America, while Bratt is 14th and Hagaman 16th. Miller was sent to the Brewers along with left-hander Jordan Montgomery, a deal that saves the Diamondbacks some $2 million from what was left on his $22.5 million deal. The deal came on the heels of the DBacks trading third-baseman Eugenio Suarez to the Mariners for first baseman Tyler Locklear and right-handers Juan Burgos and Hunter Cranton. Locklear, 24, struggled during his first taste of the majors last season but has been one of the hotter hitters in the minors in recent weeks. For Triple-A Tacoma, he owns a solid .316/.401/.542 line with 19 homers on the season and has hit .390 with 13 homers and a 1.249 OPS over his past 30 games. The DBacks previously dealt first baseman Josh Naylor to the Mariners and outfielder Randal Grichuk to the Royals. All told, the Diamondbacks got a pitching-heavy return, with eight of the nine players they received being pitchers. 'I feel like we brought back a lot of arms, something that I felt like was important as we went forward here,' general manager Mike Hazen said. 'A lot of those guys are at the upper levels.' Kelly's deal marks the end of a relationship that had been intact since December 2018, when the Diamondbacks signed him to his first major league deal following a four-year run in Korea. He had been one of the more consistent starting pitchers in baseball — and many onlookers saw him as one of the top pitchers available at the deadline this year. Kelly, who played high school ball at Scottsdale Desert Mountain, told reporters over the weekend in Pittsburgh that even if he were traded he didn't want to close the door on a possible free-agent reunion with the Diamondbacks during the winter. Hazen was asked if that came up in conversation when he called Kelly to inform him of the deal.'I won't get into the specifics of the phone call,' Hazen said, 'but we definitely touched on a few topics that maybe in and around those areas.' Gallen's struggles this season likely limited his return in the market. For the better part of the previous five seasons, he rated among the better starts in the National League, if not the majors, but he has logged just a 5.60 ERA in 22 starts this year. With several holes on the pitching staff, the Diamondbacks likely will extend him a qualifying offer at the end of the season — it will likely be worth a little more than last year's $21.05 million — and bring him back if he accepts or take the draft pick if he declines and signs elsewhere. Hazen said he was 'a little surprised' to have held onto Gallen given the interest he had been getting from rival teams in recent weeks, but he wondered if the shifting landscape of buyers and sellers ultimately played a factor. 'I think what ended up happening, honestly, it probably bled into the Geno (Suarez) discussions as well, there seemed to be a few teams that dropped out the last minute — meaning, the last few days — and became sellers,' Hazen said. 'I think that had a material impact on the market.' He speculated that influx of sellers meant the buyers were able to 'go get somebody (else) for a lot cheaper.' This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks trade Merrill Kelly to Rangers; Shelby Miller to Brewers
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
D-backs vs. Tigers Highlights
Alek Thomas and the D-backs take on Troy Melton and the Tigers on July 28, 2025
New York Times
24-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Diamondbacks plan to be sellers at deadline, but extent is still not known: Sources
The Arizona Diamondbacks are telling rival clubs they plan to trade at least some of their veterans. But the extent to which the DBacks will sell is not yet clear, according to sources briefed on their plans. The number of deals the DBacks complete before next Thursday's trade deadline will hinge on a variety of factors. The level of interest in their players. Whether the proposals they receive for their qualifying-offer candidates exceeds the potential draft-pick compensation. The assessment of club officials about the team's ability to compete for the third wild-card spot. Advertisement After getting swept at home by the injury-depleted Houston Astros, the Diamondbacks sit 5 1/2 games behind the San Diego Padres, the team currently in the third position. Three clubs – the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals – are ahead of Arizona. But none is especially imposing, and St. Louis is expected to sell. The Diamondbacks are reluctant to concede, knowing that in 2023 they secured the sixth and final NL seed with 84 wins, then went on a spectacular run to the World Series. But they already are down three pitchers for the start of next season – right-hander Corbin Burnes and relievers Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk. Their potential free agents, some of the most attractive players on the market, possibly could bring the young pitching the DBacks intend to seek. Third baseman Eugenio Suárez, fourth in the majors with 36 homers and first with 86 RBIs, might be the best hitter available. Right-hander Zac Gallen, despite his 5.58 ERA, will be one of the best pitchers. Righty Merrill Kelly and first baseman Josh Naylor also are on expiring contracts. It is unlikely the DBacks would trade both Gallen and Kelly. The team's other potential free agents include outfielder Randal Grichuk and reliever Shelby Miller, who currently is on the injured list. Neither of those players would be under consideration for one-year qualifying offers in the $22 million range. But Suárez, Gallen, Naylor and Kelly all would. To move any of the four, general manager Mike Hazen would need to clear the value of the draft pick, which would be between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A as long as the player signed for at least $50 million in free agency. Kelly, who turns 37 in October, might be the only one of the DBacks' big four who commands a deal of less than $50 million. The pick for him then would be after Competitive Balance Round B, at or around No. 75. With each extra choice, the Diamondbacks' bonus pool also would increase. Advertisement The Diamondbacks, according to a source, are scouting the minor-league systems of at least some of the teams interested in Suárez. Those teams, according to sources and published reports, include the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners. The demand for Suárez makes him the the most likely of the DBacks players to move, with top prospect Jordan Lawlar ready to step in for him at third base. What the Diamondbacks do beyond Suárez will be determined in the week ahead. (Top photo of Eugenio Suarez:)
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luis Robert Jr.'s two-run home run (9)
Crowd cheers DBacks' Ketel Marte at Chase Field after he was harassed Arizona Diamondbacks fans cheer Ketel Marte at Chase Field on June 27, 2025, for the first time since he was harassed at a Chicago White Sox game. 1:37 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
