Kelly's Vintage Performance Needed to Salvage Series

0:00It's May 3rd, you're listening to MLB News Today, AI-powered baseball coverage. I'm Corey with the story. The Arizona Diamondbacks are staring down a sweep by the Chicago Cubs at Riggly Field after dropping the first two games of the series. Merrill Kelly takes the mound Sunday as their stopper, trying to keep the team from slipping below 500 for the first time at 16 wins and 17 losses. Kelly's 2026 season started on the injured list with back issues, and his three-starth scents had been rough 9.20 ERA over. Fourteen innings, with 12 walks and 21 hits allowed, he's admitted his command is still off after that layoff. The D-backs held the Cubs to just two runs. Saturday but got shut out completely, highlighting their scoring woes during this pitching stretch. Fans are tense as the team, once comfortably above 500, fights to stay competitive early on. Against the Cubs though, Kelly shines with a career 3.25 ERA and eight starts, including

1:02just one earned run each in his last four. Outings, Arizona desperately needs that vintage performance to salvage the series. Meanwhile, Kelly faces lefty Matthew Boyd, who's posting a 7.00 ERA this year, and wins 0 and 2 lifetime against the D-backs. If Kelly regains his edge, the Diamondbacks could turn this skit around and head home with momentum.