On top of that, the Rangers sent Arizona three minor league pitchers: LHP Kohl Drake, their closest-ready minor league starter, rising prospect David Hagaman and LHP Mitch Bratt. It’s safe to say the trade for Kelly was a vote of confidence in the team as the Rangers enter the home stretch in a tight playoff race.

Kelly appears set to join a Texas Rangers team just barely hanging on to a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the American League's final wild-card spot. The Rangers are 57–52, and have recovered somewhat from a 78–84 dud after their 2023 World Series title.

The Texas Rangers acquired right-hander Merrill Kelly from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, adding a veteran starter with postseason experience to fortify their rotation at the trade deadline. The D-backs received three minor league pitchers: left-handers Kohl Drake and Mitch Bratt and right-hander David Hagaman.

The Rangers have been surging up the standings over the last month. They ended June with a 41-44 record and were 3.5 games behind the Mariners in the Wild Card standings. They’ve gone 16-8 in July and 9-3 since the All-Star break and enter this huge four-game series tied with the M’s in the standings.

The starting staff wasn't the only part of the roster the Texas Rangers aimed to improve at Thursday's trade deadline, as they added left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe from the Minnesota Twins and right-hander Phil Maton from the St.

Derek Falvey was always going to sell every single impending free agent he could, and left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe was among the best of them. It took some big name relieve