Kelly to face familiar foes as he gears up for Classic

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Four years ago, Merrill Kelly was in Major League camp for the first time. At 30, the right-hander was just trying to feel his way around D-backs camp after pitching in Korea for four seasons.

Kelly will take the mound Wednesday and face hitters from Korea again, this time in a planned one-inning stint in a simulated game against a visiting Korean Baseball Organization team.

Kelly is getting a little bit of a jump on the rest of his teammates in getting ready this spring since he will be pitching in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA.

It’s been quite a rise for Kelly, going from hoping to find a spot in Arizona's rotation to now being counted on to be the team's No. 2 pitcher, while also representing the U.S. at the Classic.

“My first year in Korea was eight years ago, it was 2015,” Kelly said. “It feels forever ago. If you would have asked me in 2015, 2016 or even possibly 2017, if I thought I was going to be playing for Team USA in the WBC, I would have told you that you were insane. It’s been a ride, for sure. The fact that I'm 34 now, in my fifth year in the big leagues, playing for Team USA is -- I know we say the word special all the time -- but it really is special.”

The D-backs signed Kelly to a two-year, $5.5 million deal prior to the 2019 season. The deal included club options for '21 ($4.25 million) and '22 ($5.25 million). Kelly pitched so well that not only did Arizona pick up both options, but it signed him to a two-year extension prior to last season.

The extension runs through 2024 and guarantees Kelly $18 million. He received a $1 million signing bonus and will earn $8 million in 2023 and '24, with a club option for '25 at $7 million. If the team declines the option, it will owe Kelly a $1 million buyout.

Kelly’s consistency and durability were a couple of the reasons the D-backs wanted to extend his contract, and he didn’t disappoint in 2022, tying for the Major League lead in starts with 33 and throwing 200 1/3 innings.

"We feel like he’s gotten better as he’s gone on,” D-backs GM Mike Hazen has said of Kelly. “He keeps himself in great shape. He’s a leader by example in the clubhouse.”

Kelly will begin practicing with Team USA on March 7. He’s already been in contact with Mark DeRosa, who will manage the national team, as well as Andy Pettitte, who will be the team’s pitching coach.

“Just thinking more and more as we get closer and closer about those WBC games,” Kelly said. “I've seen highlights of the last one and how electric everything was. It's going to be a lot of fun.”

Kelly has yet to pitch in an All-Star Game, but in some respects, pitching for Team USA is like being a part of an All-Star team. He’s most excited about getting to pick the brains of some of the game’s best players.

Plus, he’ll get to spend some time with Pettitte, who was regarded as an outstanding big-game pitcher, something Kelly would like to talk with him about.

“Any time you're in a room full of great players like that, I think you'd be foolish not to kind of try to learn from that,” Kelly said. “I’ve got some guys in mind already that I want to talk to.”