RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesPHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 23: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the sixth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on September 23, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 5-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For a brief period last season, Merrill Kelly defended a team other than the Diamondbacks for the first time in his career, and to anyone who follows the NL West closely, it felt unusual. Now back where he broke through as a big leaguer at 30 years of age in 2019, Kelly hadn’t had the greatest of seasons; in fact, by every way you look at it, this is his worst-ever campaign, currently with an ERA above 5.00. Focusing on the Diamondbacks starter is of special importance in the context of this Friday night matchup between the two top teams in the NL West.
In a bizarro edition of “unstoppable force meets immovable object,” the Dodgers and their six-game losing streak—their worst of the season—will face a pitcher that perhaps more than any other one in the sport has felt the strength of the Dodgers across the last several years. Even in extremely lopsided battles, baseball has a way of rewarding the weaker sides occasionally, but for Kelly against the Dodgers, there has been none of that even when he’s been at his best.
A regular of the Diamondbacks rotation since he first came up to the bigs back in 2019, Kelly has accumulated a healthy sample size against the NL West, including 17 starts and 89 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Throughout it, he owns a 0-11 record, which includes a 2022 season in which he was the losing pitcher of record in all five starts against the Dodgers. Kelly had eight losses total in a 200-inning campaign that season. The last time Kelly faced the Dodgers was an 8-6 loss at the end of the 2024 campaign, one that doesn’t even count towards his 11 decisions, even though he allowed six of those runs (4 earned).
The only Dodger for the entirety of Kelly’s big-league career, Max Muncy has faced him the most, and while he has only hit one home run, the veteran third baseman has reached safely in 22 of 43 plate appearances. Mookie Betts, who is coming off a four-hit game, might get on a run, having taken Kelly deep four times in 35 at-bats. And if the Dodgers do anything close to what has been their common production against Kelly, Roki Sasaki may not even need his best start to take the win. Now more than ever, the Diamondbacks starter seems less than ideally prepared for this matchup.
Friday’s game info
Teams: Dodgers at Diamondbacks
Ballpark: Chase Field, Phoenix
Start time: 6:40 p.m.
TV: SportsNet LA
Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
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