Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly Linked to Red Sox in Trade Idea

Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly Linked to Red Sox in Trade Idea originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' pre-trade deadline fire sale is imminent.

MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand reported on July 23 that the Diamondbacks, who currently sit six games out of a National League wild card spot, have been fielding offers for four players who are set to become free agents at the end of the season: third baseman Eugenio Suárez, first baseman Josh Naylor and pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. One of those players has already departed the club, as Naylor was dealt to the Seattle Mariners one day later.

Suárez, a slugger firmly in the National League MVP conversation, has received the most interest of the three remaining Diamondbacks players. However, of the two starting hurlers, Kelly is perceived as more valuable by opposing scouts, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

The Boston Red Sox, one of multiple contending teams looking to improve the arsenal arms of their rotation, could stand to benefit from acquiring a starter like Keller, even if it's just for the final few months of the 2025 campaign.

The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey proposed that the Red Sox could trade for Kelly in exchange for just one minor-league player: left-handed pitcher Connelly Early, the organization's No. 6 prospect (per MLB Pipeline) and someone who the club is more willing to part with than some of their other young hurlers.

"Parting with Early would be tough, but the Red Sox have starters Payton Tolle, Luis Perales, Juan Valera and Brandon Clarke ahead of him among their top 10 prospects. That’s not even counting recent first-rounder Kyson Witherspoon, who will slot into the top 10 as well," McCaffrey wrote. "It would be surprising if the Red Sox parted with Tolle for a rental, but if Arizona pushed for Perales, Valera or Clark instead of Early, the Red Sox would probably consider it."

McCaffrey noted that other clubs looking to acquire Kelly in a trade could offer more than just one minor-league prospect. That's why former MLB general manager Jim Bowden believes such a deal could only go through if the Red Sox added another player to the return package.

"This is precisely the type of trade that Boston and Arizona need to make. Arizona gets a future middle-of-the-rotation starter, and Boston gets a valuable two-month rental in Kelly," Bowden wrote. "If I’m Arizona, I would need the Sox to add another prospect as a sweetener to close the deal — because it’s a seller’s market. Perhaps adding right-hander Blake Wehunt, who profiles as a fourth or fifth starter, could close this deal."

Kelly, who is in the midst of his age-36 season, has been the Diamondbacks' best-performing starting pitcher this year. Through 22 starts, he has logged a 9-6 record, 3.22 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 121 strikeouts to 38 walks across 128.2 innings pitched.

Related: Red Sox Could Target 3.34 ERA Starter

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 28, 2025, where it first appeared.