Here's the Uneasy Answer that D'Backs Manager Torey Lovullo Gave About Merrill Kelly's Injury

Arizona Diamondbacks' starter Merrill Kelly is on the injured list now with a right teres major strain and manager Torey Lovullo doesn't sound real confident in where this is headed.

The Arizona Diamondbacks appear set to be without key pitcher Merill Kelly for a significant amount of time.

Here's what manager Torey Lovullo had to say about Kelly's teres major strain, which landed him on the injured list recently.

Per the Arizona Republic:

Manager Torey Lovullo said that Kelly will not need surgery and said that the "concern (level) is yet to be determined." Still, it did not sound as if the Diamondbacks have been encouraged by the news on Kelly thus far.

“We’re not looking in terms of weeks as what we had hoped for," Lovullo said. "So I think the next step up is a month, more than that.”

When asked whether Kelly will be back by the All-Star break in mid-July, Lovullo responded, "I don't know. Hard to say."

While he didn't give a definitive timetable for return, when you start talking about the All-Star break, you're talking about a serious absence. The Diamondbacks made the World Series this last season and are looking to get back this year, so if you are talking about goals that big, missing key pieces is not part of your vision.

The 35-year-old Kelly had gotten off to a great start, going 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA through four starts. He has a WHIP of under one.

In the sixth year of his career, all with Arizona, Kelly is 50-43 lifetime with a 3.75 ERA. In his absence, the D'Backs will rely more on the recently-signed Jordan Montgomery, who won a World Series with Texas last year.

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