Texas Rangers fans hoped to see Chris Young aggressively pursue another World Series given the team's strong play of late, but for much of trade deadline day, it looked as if the Rangers were going to underwhelm. Well, not only did they add an elite left-handed reliever, Danny Coulombe, to a bullpen that needed a boost, they've landed arguably the best rental starting pitcher on the market in Merrill Kelly, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: The Texas Rangers are acquiring right-hander Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2025
Kelly isn't as flashy as his teammate, Zac Gallen, or even Dylan Cease, but he's in the midst of a career year, posting a 3.22 ERA in 22 starts and 128.2 innings of work for the Arizona Diamondbacks this season. Kelly had always been a reliable mid-rotation arm, and has only leveled up this year. Adding him to a rotation already including Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and Tyler Mahle (when healthy) is outstanding, and makes the Rangers tough to beat in October if they can get to the postseason.
As for the Diamondbacks, it stinks to lose a pitcher of Kelly's caliber, but with his expiring contract status, a deal was always likely for the team that's given up on its season. The return is three pitching prospects.
Trade summary:
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) July 31, 2025
Rangers get - Merrill Kelly
Diamondbacks get - Kohl Drake, David Hagaman, Mitch Bratt
Rangers fortify elite rotation by adding Merrill Kelly from Diamondbacks
The Rangers are all-in, as they should be. This team is built right now, and with how they've played since the All-Star break, they've shown they're worth betting on, especially since they won it all just two years ago. Kelly, a 36-year-old rental in the midst of an outstanding year, is exactly the kind of player you acquire when you're all-in.
How many rotations can beat deGrom, Eovaldi, Kelly, and Mahle in October? Is health a concern? Absolutely. However, when they're all able to pitch, watch out, especially if their lineup heats up.
To get Kelly, though, the Rangers had to part with three of their best pitching prospects. He was never going to be had for cheap.
Rangers trade grade: A-
The Diamondbacks did not expect to be in this position, and didn't quite make the most of their trades involving Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor, but this looks like a very promising return. The pitching-starved D-Backs received three of Texas' top 13 prospects per MLB Pipeline with left-handed Kohl Drake, their No. 5 prospect, serving as the headliner.
Drake doesn't throw particularly hard and doesn't have a crazy ceiling, but he's on the verge of being MLB-ready, and he could easily find himself in Arizona's rotation by the end of the season.
Perhaps the most intriguing prospect in the deal is Mitch Bratt, a 22-year-old who has a 3.18 ERA in 18 appearances (17 starts) in Double-A. What's most intriguing about Bratt is despite not being a hard-thrower, he strikes out a ton of batters (10.5 K/9) and doesn't walk many (1.6 BB/9). He isn't as close to MLB-ready as Drake, but his ceiling might be higher.
The third piece in the deal is David Hagman, a fourth-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. He's further away, as he's only in Single-A after making his professional debut earlier this season, but as a third piece, it's hard to ask for much better.
The Diamondbacks didn't get a top 100 prospects, but these are three fliers very much worth taking, especially for a team in dire need of pitching. Not a bad deal for a rental.