Merrill Kelly Earns First Career Opening Day Start for Diamondbacks

Merrill Kelly, 37, has been named the Arizona Diamondbacks' Opening Day starter for the first time in his career, facing the Dodgers on March 26. Manager Torey Lovullo made the announcement early in Spring Training. Kelly returned to the D-backs this offseason on a two-year, $40 million contract after being traded to the Rangers last year. Last season, he posted a 3.22 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 128.2 innings with Arizona before his production dipped to a 4.23 ERA across 55.1 frames with Texas. A fixture in the rotation, nicknamed "Merrill the Mainstay," he holds a career 3.77 ERA and 113 OPS+ in 172 starts.