The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided what could have been a significant blow to their rotation during Friday night's dramatic win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly exited before completing the sixth inning, creating concern as he walked off the mound with a trainer after pitching into a no-hit bid against the division leaders.
MLB.com Diamondbacks beat writer Steve Gilbert reported on X after the game that Kelly's exit was caused by a right leg cramp, with the initial evaluation indicating the veteran avoided a more serious injury.
Kelly left the game after inducing a bases-loaded fielder's choice from Freddie Freeman with two outs in the sixth inning. The 37-year-old walked off under his own power, and the Diamondbacks later confirmed the issue was a cramp rather than a structural injury.
The encouraging update came before Arizona completed a 4-3 walk-off victory over Los Angeles, snapping the Dodgers' momentum and keeping pressure on the National League West leaders.
Before exiting, Kelly turned in one of his strongest outings of the season. He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning and finished with 5.2 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while walking four and striking out four on 80 pitches.
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Kelly entered Friday with an 8-9 record, a 4.88 ERA, a 1.47 WHIP and 80 strikeouts across 120 innings in 21 starts. The veteran has battled injuries throughout 2026 after beginning the season on the injured list with left intercostal nerve irritation, but he has remained a key part of Arizona's rotation since returning.
The victory improved the Diamondbacks to 62-55, trimming the gap behind the Dodgers in the National League West to 7.5 games. While Arizona will continue monitoring Kelly's condition over the coming days, the early diagnosis gives the club optimism that its veteran starter could avoid another trip to the injured list.
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