As the Arizona Diamondbacks continue to work the trade and free agent markets for starting pitching, a familiar name continues surface: Merrill Kelly.

Kelly and the Diamondbacks have shown mutual interest in a reunion, reports Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.

I would still peg the return of Zac Gallen to the Diamondbacks as unlikely but hearing there is definitely mutual interest from both sides on a return for Merrill Kelly.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) December 4, 2025

This has been the case since even the trade deadline, when the Diamondbacks dealt Kelly on an expiring contract to the Texas Rangers for three pitching prospects.

“I won’t get into the specifics of the phone call, but we definitely touched on a few topics that may be in and around those areas,” general manager Mike Hazen said after the trade when asked about an offseason reunion.

Kelly told reporters at Chase Field after the trade that a return to Arizona was attractive for him and his family, but that he was prepared to make difficult business decisions. He went to high school at Scottsdale’s Desert Mountain and was drafted out of Arizona State.

At the same time, this is his opportunity to cash in at 37 years old, potentially his last chance to land a multi-year deal.

The winter meetings in Orlando get going on Sunday and run through Thursday. The Diamondbacks’ biggest offseason signing has been bringing back catcher James McCann, but with a long list of needs to address, the winter meetings offer the opportunity to push this offseason forward.

Kelly spent the better part of seven seasons with the Diamondbacks from 2019-25, and he was quite sharp this past season. He made 32 starts — one off a career high — with a 3.52 ERA. He worked a 3.22 ERA before the trade and filled into Texas’ rotation well before a couple poor outings at the end of the season.

Texas missed the playoffs, and the Diamondbacks ended up climbing back into the race before falling short themselves. Whether or not keeping Kelly would have made the difference is simply a hypothetical, but from a value standpoint, bringing him back after acquiring three prospects for two months of his services would be a big win.

Arizona added Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt and David Hagaman, selecting Drake and Bratt for the 40-man roster this offseason.

Whom else have Diamondbacks shown interest in?

Gambadoro also noted that the Diamondbacks have shown interest in reuniting with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to fill a platoon role and signing late-inning reliever Pete Fairbanks, whom AZCentral’s Nick Piecoro has reported the club engaged in talks with.

First base is a question mark going into next season, and Goldschmidt is coming off a year with the New York Yankees in which he hit .336 against left-handed pitchers.

Fairbanks saved 27 games with a 2.83 ERA for the Tampa Bay Rays, and the Diamondbacks could use stability in the ninth inning after blowing 29 saves this past season.