Right-hander Merrill Kelly threw a 23-pitch live batting practice session on Sunday, March 8, and came away from the day encouraged enough that he expects his next outing to come in a big-league spring training game.
“All good — 100 percent,” Kelly said. “So full steam ahead.”
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It is a step in the right direction for Kelly, who was delayed last month by back tightness but is hoping to avoid the injured list to start the season.
Manager Torey Lovullo said Kelly’s velocity was in the 90-93 mph range in the session, during which he faced both Corbin Carroll and Aramis Garcia. Kelly thought hitters’ reactions to his pitches were encouraging, but said that was secondary to his health.
“Felt like they had some good reactions to (my pitches),” Kelly said. “I didn’t give up any hard hits and was around the zone for the most part. So all that stuff was a win today. (But) even if I gave up four homers, it would have been a win today.”
Kelly likely will throw a bullpen session in the coming days. If he does return to game action, that would probably come in on Friday, March 13, or Saturday, March 14.
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Assuming he remains on a five-day routine from there — and that he can throw two innings next weekend — he could conceivably build up to four innings by the start of the season, which would mean he could be ready to go five innings if he were to pitch at the back of the rotation, against the Detroit Tigers on March 31 or April 1.
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Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar catches a fly ball during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks Jordan Lawlar catches a fly ball during spring training workouts at Salt River Fields on Feb. 13, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Gabriel Moreno (14) bats against the Colorado Rockies in the fourth inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Alek Thomas (5) runs to second base after hitting a double against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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D. Baxter the Bobcat, the Arizona Diamondbacks mascot, signs autographs during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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The Arizona Diamondbacks take the field against the Colorado Rockies during the spring training season opener at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) hits a home run over Colorado Rockies left fielder Zac Veen (13) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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The Salt River Pima – Maricopa Indian Community traditional dancers perform at the Arizona Diamondbacks spring training season opener at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) hits a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Top photos from Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 spring training
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) hits a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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A fan and her dog cheer for the Arizona Diamondbacks during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) signs autographs during the spring training season opener against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Colorado Rockies pitcher Juan Mejia (47) throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Fans watch the action on the left field lawn as the Colorado Rockies host the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Andrew Hoffmann (56) throws to the Colorado Rockies in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks’ Nolan Arenado (28) reacts after hitting a home run off Colorado Rockies pitcher Antonio Senzatela (49) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas (5) catches a fly ball from Colorado Rockies’ Edouard Julien (6) in the second inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
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Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Philip Abner (50) takes the mound against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning during a spring training game at Salt River Fields on Feb. 20, 2026, in Scottsdale.
The Diamondbacks seem to be torn as to whether that would be the best course of action, not wanting to force Kelly into regular-season games before he is fully built up. The club is worried about potentially taxing the bullpen if he were to turn in a short start.
Corbin Carroll continues to progress
Carroll took at-bats for the second time in the past three days against live pitching, facing Kelly in the morning at Salt River Fields.
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He could be nearing a return to a more structured game setting, though Lovullo said he did not believe that would happen on Monday, March 9.
Lovullo said he would expect that Carroll’s first game action would come in a backfields game rather than in the Cactus League.
“That’d be my thought,” Lovullo said. “More live at-bats. Running, sliding, throwing, all that type of stuff needs to take place, as well. Probably a backfield game would be a pretty safe bet. … When that happens, I’m not sure.”
Top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt among 15 send downs
The Diamondbacks made 15 roster moves on Sunday morning, March 8, with top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt perhaps the most high-profile player to be sent to minor league camp.
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Shortstop Jose Fernandez and second baseman Tommy Troy were also among those sent down.
Waldschmidt, 23, enjoyed a breakout season in High-A and Double-A last year and came to camp with an outside shot of making the team.
However, the unexpected progress of outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in his rehab from right knee surgery made the path to a roster spot trickier for Waldschmidt, general manager Mike Hazen said.
Hazen said there is a “potential outcome” in which Gurriel is back from the injured list by the middle of April.
“I think that was certainly a factor in terms of the timing of this send down,” Hazen said. “Just thinking through this, having him on the team for two weeks is not something that we really considered doing. I think if there was potentially a longer runway … Now, who knows, something could change, and we may look at this a little differently. He (Gurriel) hasn’t come back yet. Corbin hasn’t come back yet. We have an idea of a timeframe for both of them, but things could change.”
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Hazen said the club sent Waldschmidt down with the hopes that he could work to “fine-tune” certain aspects of his game. Hazen said Waldschmidt chased “a decent amount” during spring training — per Baseball Savant, Waldschmidt swung at 25.5 percent of pitches outside the zone, up from his 15.7 percent rate in the minors last year — and was “a little rough” defensively in the early part of camp.
“I think that him going down and continuing to get reps and improving defensively and offensively is critical,” Hazen said. “Hopefully, at some point, he’s on our team this year, but he’s still got some things I think to kind of fine-tune.”
Hazen highlighted a similar issue with Fernandez, saying he wanted to see him “continue to shrink up the strike zone a little bit.” Hazen also wanted to see Fernandez keep working on his defense so as to become a capable backup at both shortstop and third base.
Both players are expected to open the season with Triple-A Reno.
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Waldschmidt was reassigned to minor league camp; Fernandez, who is on the 40-man roster, was optioned to Reno.
In addition to those two, the club also optioned lefties Mitch Bratt and Kohl Drake and right-handers Juan Burgos and Grant Holman and reassigned to minor league camp right-handers Gerardo Carrillo, Hayden Durke, Junior Fernandez and Taylor Rashi, left-hander Spencer Giesting, infielders LuJames Groover, Cristofer Torin and Tommy Troy and outfielder A.J. Vukovich.
The players on the 40-man roster without big league experience who aren’t expected to make the team often are sent down around this time of camp. Such players who remain on the roster after March 9 and suffer an injury will have to be placed on the major league injured list to start the year.
Diamondbacks in the World Baseball Classic
Second baseman Ketel Marte walked and scored three times in the Dominican Republic’s 12-1 win over the Netherlands.
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Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and first baseman Carlos Santana did not play for the Dominican. Perdomo reportedly was scratched due to illness.
In that same game, outfielder Druw Jones went 1-for-3 with a single and two strikeouts.
Reds 13, Diamondbacks 4
At Goodyear Ballpark
At the plate: CF Jordan Lawlar blasted a no-doubt homer to left field in the seventh, his third of the spring. It came on a slider left over the middle of the plate by RHP Graham Ashcraft. Lawlar finished 2-for-4. DH LuJames Groover put a pair of good swings on balls, recording two doubles on hits that each had an exit velocity in excess of 100 mph. Both doubles drove home LF Ryan Waldschmidt, who went 3 for 3 with a walk in four trips to the plate. Both Groover and Waldschmidt were officially reassigned to minor-league camp earlier in the day.
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On the mound: RHP Drey Jameson got the start in what was a full-on bullpen game for the Diamondbacks. Jameson did not retire any of the first four batters he faced, allowing a walk and three singles, though his defense did him no favors on one play. He retired the final two batters he faced before exiting. RHP Kevin Ginkel walked one in a scoreless second inning. RHP Ryan Thompson retired the side in order in the third.
Extra bases: Waldschmidt dropped a deep fly ball down the left-field line in the first inning, a play that was generously ruled a hit for SS Elly De La Cruz. 2B Tommy Troy was charged with a throwing error on a tough play up the middle in the second inning, but he converted an out on a similar play an inning later, bouncing an across-his-body throw to first to get C Tyler Stephenson.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Merrill Kelly, Corbin Carroll updates; prospects sent down