Rangers projected pitching rotation: How Merrill Kelly fits in with Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi

The surging Rangers are just a few games out of the AL wild-card race, and they added reinforcements for the stretch run.

Texas agreed to a deal to acquire Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly for multiple prospects. Kelly is 36 and will be a free agent at the end of the year, but he still performed at a high level for Arizona.

Kelly joins a Rangers rotation that is the strength of the team, as Texas currently has the best ERA in baseball at 3.22. As the Rangers make a push to return to the playoffs, they will bank on their rotation to lead the way.

Here's how the Rangers rotation is projected to stack up.

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Rangers projected pitching rotation

The Rangers sport one of the best rotations in the league, led by multi-time Cy Young winner Jacob deGrom, who has a 2.55 ERA in 21 starts. Behind deGrom is Nathan Eovaldi, who leads the rotation with a 1.49 ERA in 18 starts and completes a dominant top two in the rotation.

Kelly will slot into the rotation behind deGrom and Eovaldi, fortifying an already strong unit. Kelly has a 3.22 ERA in 22 starts this year and has been the Diamondbacks' best starter, but he will hit free agency at the end of the year.

Rounding out the rotation is veteran Patrick Corbin, who has had a resurgent year for Texas, and second-year starter Jack Leiter. Corbin's 3.78 ERA in 20 games is his best number since 2019, while Leiter has a 4.09 ERA in 18 games this year.

If the Rangers do need to dip into their starter depth, they have Kumar Rocker, as well, but he has struggled this year with an ERA over 5.00. Texas also has Tyler Mahle on the 60-day injured list, as a shoulder injury has sidelined him since early June, but he could return before the season ends.