Diamondbacks’ $40 million starter reveals NL West team who offered a three-year contract originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Before signing a two-year, $40 million contract to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks, starting pitcher Merrill Kelly had the option to go elsewhere.
Advertisement
According to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, Kelly turned down a three-year contract offer from the San Diego Padres.
“He said his family dynamics played a big part in his decision,” Piecoro wrote on X. Kelly, 37, has made 162 of his 172 career starts in a Diamondbacks uniform.
Arizona received three pitching prospects for Kelly in a trade with the Texas Rangers at last year’s deadline. The right-hander went 3-3 with a 4.23 ERA in 10 starts with Texas.
If Kelly had accepted the Padres’ offer
With the return of Kelly and Zac Gallen, the D-Backs have their top two starters back in the rotation. Gallen agreed to a one-year pact worth $22.5 million-an identical price to the qualifying offer the seven-year veteran turned down earlier in the offseason.
Advertisement
Kelly’s role with the Padres may have been towards the backend of their five-man group. They already have Michael King, Nick Pivetta, and Joe Musgrove as their top three starters.
Kelly could contemplate retirement when his new contract is complete. He will turn 39 next October.
More MLB news: