Arizona Diamondbacks have Designated Carson Kelly

Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images

August 13, 2023

The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated catcher Carson Kelly for assignment. The move was necessary to make room for catcher Gabriel Moreno. Moreno had been out with a shoulder issue since the third week of July, and was ready to be activated. This is considered a surprise move since Kelly had been with the team since 2019 and most thought Jose Herrera would be the one sent back to Triple-A Reno.

Long Season

It has been a long and trying season for Kelly after fracturing his forearm in a spring training game. He has battled injuries the last two seasons, and has struggled offensively. This season he was hitting .226 in 84 at-bats with one home run. His overall statistics as a Diamondback show a .230 average with 44 home runs and 153 RBI in 386 games.

His Departure

Kelly originally joined the Diamondbacks as part of the winter trade in 2018 that shipped first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals. That trade, unpopular with Diamondback fans, included Dominic Fletcher, Andrew Young, and Luke Weaver. With his departure, it leaves only Fletcher, who was drafted in 2019.

Utility infielder/outfielder Young played in 70 major league games for the Diamondbacks in 2020 and 2021, hitting .205 and was left unprotected, and was lost in the Rule 5 Draft. Right-hander Weaver, considered the prize of the trade, showed his potential with a 2.94 ERA in 12 starts in 2019. However, his career has been ravaged by elbow and shoulder injuries.

Torey Lovullo Comments

Torey Lovullo held a press conference Sunday and had this to say regarding the roster moves, “I know that these types of decisions are never easy, and we have had discussions around this for several days. We talked about what direction we wanted to go, and we believe enough in and Gabby and Herrera.It just wasn’t working with Carson on the level that we wanted it to and that led to the decision. There weren’t easy conversations, and especially when you got to sit down and talk to your athlete. . . [Carson’s] been here through some very hard times, some good times, some very difficult times. . . that’s what makes those conversations hard.”

Busy Weekend

The Arizona Diamondbacks have designated catcher Carson Kelly, and it certainly has been a busy weekend of transactions for the team. They optioned pitcher Ryne Nelson and infielder Emmanuel Rivera to the minors and called up third baseman Buddy Kennedy and top pitching prospect Bryce Jarvis. They also designated for assignment former top outfield prospect Kristian Robinson, most likely ending his tumultuous Diamondbacks career.

Moreno’s Return

Moreno’s return should give the pitching staff a much-needed boost. He has nine defensive runs saved, which ranks him seventh among catchers. Moreno has shown he is able to handle a pitching staff. He now takes over the bulk of the playing time at catcher. Herrera remains as the backup and will get some starts to give Moreno a day off.

In Need of a Spark

The Diamondbacks are looking for any kind of spark to keep them in a playoff race. After staying in first place over 60 days, this team has the worst record in the National League since July. With 44 games to play, there is still time to get a Wild Card spot. However, the team cannot afford another nine-game losing streak. Everyone, including the fans, are hoping Moreno’s return is one of those sparks that motivates the others to play like better. If he and the team returns to their winning ways, we may see this team in the postseason.