Merrill Kelly continues concerning trend, Diamondbacks lose series in Boston with no Marte
The Diamondbacks allowed 20 runs over the first two games in Boston, as the pitchers failed to help a lineup dealing with Ketel Marte's absence.
Watch: Breaking down Ketel Marte’s bizarre no-show | 9 mins
With Ketel Marte (personal) and Nolan Arenado (intercostal) out of the lineup for a second straight game at Fenway Park on Tuesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks really could have used a stabilizing start from Merrill Kelly.
Instead, the veteran starter continued his disheartening August with six earned runs, as the Boston Red Sox snatched the series with a 9-4 win.
Gabriel Moreno’s go-ahead grand slam provided a moment of levity in the third inning, a jolt of life after a dramatic couple of days for the clubhouse. It was a fleeting moment, as the pitching floundered from there.
While the Diamondbacks (66-61) have had to deal with the disappearance of Marte from the lineup, the pitching staff as a whole failed to give the remaining hitters a chance in these two games with 20 runs allowed. This is the first time the D-backs have allowed at least nine runs in back-to-back games since April.
The Diamondbacks have fallen into some trouble with three straight losses. They dropped to two games behind the San Diego Padres for the third National League Wild Card spot and three games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for the second.
Merrill Kelly’s walks are a problem
Kelly was dominant in July (1.95 ERA), but he has allowed at least five earned runs in three of four August starts. The D-backs lost all three and are 9-14 when he pitches this season.
Strike throwing has been an issue.
Kelly had never walked 15 batters in a four-start span at any point in his career through 2025. Kelly has now done so twice this year, as he put four men on base for free on Tuesday at Fenway Park.
He only threw 38% of his pitches in the strike zone, which is about 10 points below the league average. The walks and hitter’s counts led to a situation where the first two hitters in three of the first five innings reached base safely, immediately putting Kelly in jams.
Kelly has been a precision pitcher with a deep arsenal he can command with the best arms, but that has not been the case consistently this season. His 1.47 strike-to-walk ratio is more than two lower than last year (3.48).
The D-backs only received four completed innings out of Kelly after Monday starter Mitch Bratt threw three innings. And the fifth run Kelly allowed was telling for how the rest of the night would go, as Caleb Durbin aggressively broke for home on a pitch that skipped not too far away from catcher James McCann. Durbin executed a swim-move dive to get past Kelly’s tag for the go-ahead run, as the Red Sox played a fast and urgent brand of baseball that left the D-backs behind.
Like Monday, this game got out of hand. Kevin Ginkel and Taylor Clarke let in three more runs out of the bullpen, Corbin Carroll was picked-off/caught stealing and Arizona’s offense did not get anything else done while Boston tallied 13 hits.
The brightest spot for the Diamondbacks was reliever Justin Martinez making his long-awaited return from Tommy John surgery, his first appearance for the D-backs since June 2025.
Martinez was wild with a walk, a hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch, but the right-hander managed a scoreless inning.
Missing Marte and Arenado is rough for the matchups in this series
The Red Sox started a left-handed opener in Alec Gamboa on Monday and southpaw Ranger Suarez on Tuesday. Lefty Payton Tolle will get the ball on Wednesday.
The Diamondbacks had the best batting average in MLB against lefties entering Tuesday at .276, but Marte and Arenado are significant for that success.
Marte has been a lefty killer throughout his career and owns a .940 OPS against them this season. He reportedly left Boston to get an MRI back in Arizona on Tuesday after no-showing Monday’s game without telling manager Torey Lovullo or his teammates where he was. The reason remains unclear.
Arenado owns an .818 OPS versus lefties. He could return to the lineup on Wednesday after receiving an MRI in Boston on Monday.
Those two are obviously not responsible for Boston’s scoring barrage this series, but Arizona’s offense has been quiet except for the Moreno grand slam.
Diamondbacks-Red Sox Wednesday starters
RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-1, 3.11) vs. LHP Payton Tolle (8-6, 2.97)
First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. MST on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
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Comments
3 Comments
He stunk in April, really good in May, stunk in June, really good in July, stinking it up in August, so probably really good in September! Start calling him every other month Merrill
Hazen signed Kelly and Gallen for $60M. They haven’t contributed. That money could have spent on pitchers that could be younger and could be better.
Yes, Hazen did signed Soroka which is probably his best free agent signing for this season. Soroka will be a free agent at the end of this season…I doubt that Soroka wants to stay with the Dbacks.
Look at the trades and free agent signings, Hazen has a losing record. I am not expecting 100% success ratio but at least 51%.
Hazen needs to go along with TL.
The reason for the loss is simple: Kelley! He gave up six earned runs…gave up 3 in the first inning…he gave up a gopher ball (home run).
Hazen didn’t trade for a starter before the deadline and the Dbacks have only three starters: E-Rod, Pfaadt and Soroka. Bratt and Kelly are not reliable. No else will be joining them at full speed for the rest of season. The fault lies on Hazen since he and TL put the team together.
The situation with Marte is the fault of Hazen and TL. Hazen should have traded him before he had 10/5 status. Even if Hazen can find a team accepted to Marte, Marte has little value. Who want a ‘softie’ on their team. TL has coddled him way too much.
When the season is over and IF the Dbacks are watching from their homes, there should be major house cleaning: Hazen, TL and Marte. If there is no house cleaning, the toxic culture of mediocrity and TL favoritism will continue to another .500 season.