Kelly's Return Delayed, Diamondbacks Rotation Dilemma

0:00On April 5th, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly is pushing back his return from a back injury. The 37-year-old right-hander dealt with intercostal nerve irritation and hoped for just one rehab start to rejoin the team by April 7th against the New York Metz. Now manager Tori Lavulo says he'll need another outing first. That extra star happens in extended spring training at Salt River Fields, not Trebley. He delays Kelly until the April 13th through 15th series against the Baltimore Orioles. This gives the team more time to ease him back carefully. Fans want their veteran starter in the mix soon, but it's creating a good dilemma for the rotation. With five healthy arms right now, someone has to shift to the bull pin when Kelly returns. Early performances make that call tougher than expected. Michael Soroka has shown in his first two starts, tossing 10 innings with 13 strikeouts and just one earned run. Eduardo Rodriguez dominated twice, and Zach Galen threw six scoreless frames against

1:00a sigh young winner last time out. Meanwhile, Ryan Nelson and Brandon Fayot have hit some bumps. The Diamondbacks can take it slow with Kelly while the current group keeps building momentum. It's a solid spot to be in as they sort through options and gear up for the long haul. That's your update from MLB News Today, powered by AI.