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Diamondbacks Activate Merrill Kelly, Shift Brandon Pfaadt to Bullpen

The moves aim to steady a bullpen exposed by a blown six-run lead in Baltimore.

Overview

  • Arizona will activate right-hander Merrill Kelly to start and move Brandon Pfaadt to relief, with Tayler Rashi optioned to Triple-A Reno.
  • Kelly returns from an intercostal nerve irritation suffered in spring training that kept him on the injured list.
  • Pfaadt changes roles after posting a 5.94 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP over 16.2 innings across three starts.
  • The shake-up follows a 9-7 loss to the Orioles in which the bullpen surrendered a six-run lead on a rally capped by a grand slam.
  • With Kelly back, Arizona faced a six-starter logjam, so sliding Pfaadt into shorter stints and sending Rashi to Reno fits MLB’s 26-man roster limits and targets late-inning stability.