Merrill Kelly

The right-hander will throw another bullpen session on Sunday before progressing to a three-inning simulated game next week. If all goes well with both of those sessions, the 35-year-old hurler could then be cleared to start a minor league rehab assignment. It seems likely that Kelly will require at least two starts there before he's an option to return to the Diamondbacks' rotation.

Fellow rehabbing rotation-mate Merrill Kelly will throw a simulated game on Thursday. Rodriguez has been shelved since the preseason due to lingering soreness in his shoulder and has yet to make his highly anticipated debut with the Diamondbacks. Barring any additional setbacks, he should be ready at some point in mid-August.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' recent stretch of good play has general manager Mike Hazen planning to buy at the trade deadline. As of now, the calls we re making, we re looking to add talent to the team," he told the Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro. Many expected the Diamondbacks to compete for a championship after reaching the World Series last fall, but the club struggled to overcome injuries and poor performance through the first few months of the season. Arizona has righted the ship as of late, pulling into a tie for the final NL wild-card spot by winning 11 of its last 16 games.The hot stretch - combined with the impending return of pitchers Jordan Montgomery, Merrill Kelly, and Eduardo Rodriguez - has Hazen conflicted as to where he should prioritize improving the roster. I know I want to add, he said, but I don t know that there s a ton of clear unless the starting pitching doesn t come back not a ton of clear ways that I feel like it s dire that we add."Arizona will look to keep playing winning baseball against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night at Wrigley Field. Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pfaadt got his win of the month tonight, as he improved to 4-6 while the Diamondbacks moved to 10-9 in his starts. He's given the team 10 quality starts while pitching at least six innings on 14 occasions. With Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen having missed so much time, it's scary to think just how much the Diamondbacks would have needed to ask from their pen if Pfaadt hadn't been so solid to date.

Kelly (shoulder) is set to throw a bullpen session Friday, Alex Weiner of ArizonaSports.com reports.