D-backs' Merrill Kelly Gives Update on Potential Back Injury

On Saturday, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly had his live batting practice session cancelled. Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters at Salt River Fields the veteran is dealing with "left mid-back tightness," and that he will undergo testing in the next 24 hours.

Kelly caught up with the media shortly following, providing an update to his injury and the next steps.

Kelly said the issue is one he'd been dealing with prior, though Saturday was the first time it flared up to the point where he felt the need to shut down his throwing.

"We've been treating something, I guess in the mid-back you'd call it, kind of changes throughout the days, different days feel differently, and then I went to go throw in the bullpen today, got to around pitch 10, started feeling a little stuff, and then the last two to three, the sensation was enough that I, being proactive, just felt like it was time to shut it down," Kelly said.

The righty said he will "probably get an MRI" on Sunday to rule out the guesswork.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Merrill Kelly on Potential Injury

Kelly said he did not feel a specific tweak after an individual rep. It was simply a nagging sensation that arose following his second bullpen session.

"I threw my second bullpen of camp, bullpen was fine, lift after that was fine, and then when I cooled down and kind of started feeling it, it was a little tight, a little naggy, and I've kind of been there since, but there wasn't necessarily a mechanism," he said.

"It wasn't like I threw one pitch and it tweaked on me and it kept going. Everything that day felt fine until I kind of calmed down. ... Today was definitely the sharpest I've felt it. It almost feels like a big stretch, I guess is the best way to describe it."

Lovullo told reporters his concern level for the righty at the moment was minimal.

Kelly said he did not have a specific concern level at this time, since the severity is yet unknown. He also said it was the first time he's felt this specific type of sensation in the mid-back area.

"The last week and a half, I've been throwing, been doing everything normal, and it didn't kind of rear its head until today, so I'm going to take that as a good thing," Kelly said.

"The fact that I've felt it for that long, but I've still been able to do everything, I'm going to take as a good sign."