Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly has simply not looked like himself in his first three starts of 2026, since coming off the injured list.

Kelly, after his first three turns through the rotation, owns a 9.20 ERA. He's given up eight and five runs respectively in his previous two starts — 13 in his last 9.1 innings.

But the problem isn't his velocity, which has always sat on the lower end of the 90s. Nor is it his raw stuff, which appears to be moving properly and holding its usual shape.

The harsh truth is very simple: Kelly is not throwing enough consistent strikes, and it's costing him batters. Kelly has walked 12 in his first 14.2 innings of 2026.…