Merrill Kelly leaves 3rd-straight home start for D-backs
Sep 4, 2023, 3:20 PM | Updated: 5:32 pm
Merrill Kelly #29 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field on September 04, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Merrill Kelly is once again exiting early in the midst of a stellar outing.
The Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander left his start Monday after one pitch into the eighth inning with cramping against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field. After the pitch, a strike to the inning’s leadoff hitter Elehuris Montero, Kelly looked toward the dugout and manager Torey Lovullo came out of the dugout.
Merrill Kelly frustrated while exiting a start after allowing just one run in seven innings while tying his career high with 12 strikeouts pic.twitter.com/X9QlstyWuT
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 4, 2023
Kevin Ginkel came in to finish the at bat, striking out Montero. The Diamondbacks went on to beat Colorado, 4-2.
RELATED STORIES
Kelly was having great outing, as he had allowed just one run on four hits while tying a career high by striking out 12 and allowing one walk. He finished the outing with 91 pitches. Monday was Kelly’s third-straight home start in which he left early with cramping in his right hamstring.
“At this point, I feel like I’m just beating my head against a wall,” Kelly said after the game. “Go back to the drawing board with the training staff and the doctors and figure this thing out.”
It’s not the first time Kelly has left a start early. He left his Aug. 23 appearance against the Cincinnati Reds after warming up before the eighth. In that game, he also had 12 strikeouts.
Kelly has suffered from cramping issues this season, he reported to Wolf & Luke on 98.7 FM on Aug. 25.
