Merrill Kelly Injury: Hoping to avoid IL stint

Updated on March 2, 2026 at 10:49am

Kelly (back) said Sunday that he's optimistic he'll avoid a stint on the injured list to begin the regular season, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports.

Kelly is no longer in line to start Opening Day versus the Dodgers, but he could be ready to pitch in Arizona's second series of the season at home versus Detroit, which runs March 30 through April 1. The right-hander was shut down one week ago after experiencing mid-back tightness but has seemingly responded well since receiving a cortisone shot. He was able to play catch Sunday without issue and could gradually increase the distance and intensity of his throwing sessions during the upcoming week.