Rangers Acquire Merrill Kelly from Diamondbacks

By Nate Miller

Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images

July 31, 2025

The Texas Rangers made a splash in the final moments of Thursday’s trade deadline. They made a deal to land Merrill Kelly in a deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Neither club has confirmed the deal. This move, reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN, strengthens the Rangers’ rotation as they aim for a playoff push. Kelly, known for his consistency and ability to eat innings, is in the final year of his contract and is due to become a free agent after the season.

In exchange, the Rangers are sending a nice package to Arizona. No. 5 prospect LHP Kohn Drake, 9th prospect LHP Mitch Bratt and 13th RHP David Hagaman will be added to the Rangers’ system.

Merrill The Mainstay

Merrill Kelly tends to go somewhat unnoticed. This is because he doesn’t light up radar guns with a fastball in the 92-94 mph range. What Kelly does, however, is give his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound, and his consistency has earned him the moniker “Merrill the Mainstay.”

He has a 3.22 ERA through 22 starts. Kelly has 121 strikeouts, 38 walks and a 1.06 WHIP in 128 2/3 innings. A shoulder strain limited Merrill Kelly to only 13 starts last season, but he averaged 30 starts and a 3.66 ERA from 2021-23.

Key Piece in 2023

This trade provides a nice nod to the past. Merrill Kelly will be pitching for the club that he competed against in the 2023 World Series.

He was a key part of Arizona’s run that year. In the postseason that season, he allowed six runs in 24 innings over four starts. Four of those runs coming in one game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He recorded the Diamondbacks’ lone win in the World Series, holding the Rangers to one run over seven innings in Game Two.

He’ll be a nice addition to the Rangers’ pitching staff the rest of the way in 2025.

Additional Moves

Aside from Kelly, the Rangers made another deal prior to the deadline. They have reached an agreement to acquire reliever Phil Maton from the St. Louis Cardinals. In exchange, the Cardinals will receive pitching prospects Mason Molina and Skylar Hales, as well as international slot money (per The Athletic’s Katie Woo).