MLB Signing: Merrill Kelly Makes Stunning Decision in Free Agency

When the Arizona Diamondbacks traded their longtime starting pitcher Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers at the deadline in July, it was presumed his days in Phoenix were done. But now, as a free agent, Kelly has decided to head back to the D-Backs, signing a two-year, $40 million deal for a reunion in the desert.

Free-agent right-hander Merrill Kelly is finalizing a two-year, $40M contract with the Diamondbacks, source tells @TheAthletic
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 14, 2025

The Diamondbacks went into sell-off mode at the deadline, dealing a number veterans who were pending free agents, including Kelly, Zac Gallen, Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor. Kelly will be the only one who returns.

The now-37-year-old was a late bloomer in the majors, having honed his craft for several years in the KBO in Korea. He debuted with Arizona at the age of 30 in 2019, and spent all seven of his major league seasons there, save for the last two months of the 2025 campaign. He was an excellent upper-end of the rotation arm for almost all of that time. He has a 3.74 ERA with the Snakes across 162 starts, with a 1.19 WHIP and an 8.2 K/9 vs. 2.7 BB/9.

His playoff performance in the team's 2023 run to get to the World Series was at any other level, with a 2.25 ERA in four postseason starts, with an 0.83 WHIP and a 28:8 strikeout to walk ratio in 24 innings while surrendering only 12 hits.

We had heard from Phoenix insiders earlier this month that the D-Backs were "definitely" interested in bringing back Kelly, and that has now come to fruition.