Tests thus far have fortunately not revealed any major issues in his back, but doctors are still working to ascertain what's hobbling him. Piecoro adds that Kelly played catch today but still felt pain in his back while doing so.
Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly was scratched from a scheduled live batting practice over the weekend due to mid-back tightness, according to a report from Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Kelly and manager Torey Lovullo indicated at the time that the decision was mostly precautionary, but Kelly was still sent for an MRI in order to determine the severity of the issue.
Merrill Kelly has established himself as one of the league's more reliable starters, with multiple three-win seasons since returning from Korea and pitching a total of 122 innings with a 3.32 ERA in 2024.