The Arizona Diamondbacks fell 7-0 to the Chicago Cubs on Monday night in their series opener.
Veteran right-hander Merrill Kelly took the mound for Arizona and finished with 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs while recording four strikeouts and three walks.
The loss dropped Kelly to 8-12 on the season, but after the game, he made a strong accusation against Cubs third-base coach Quintin Berry.
Kelly Accuses Berry of Sign-Stealing
While players have stolen signs throughout baseball history, the practice remains controversial. MLB allows teams to decode signs as long as they don’t use electronic equipment or other prohibited technology to do so.
Kelly made it clear, however, that he believes it crosses a line when a coach gets involved. He revealed that the Diamondbacks believed Berry was relaying signs whenever Kelly threw his changeup to left-handed hitters.
“We just thought he was relaying signs. We thought he had something on my changeup, especially to lefties,” Kelly said. “Every time I throw a changeup we felt like he was relaying them.
“Stealing signs is as old as baseball. It’s a little [explicit] when it comes from a coach… I think it’s a little bush league when it comes outside of [the players]. I think inside the lines is one thing.”
Merrill Kelly confirms that the D-backs thought that Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry was relaying signs every time he threw a changeup to lefties.
“Stealing signs is as old as baseball. I think it’s a little bulls— when it comes from a coach.” pic.twitter.com/FEXY5jS6B3
— Nick King (@NickKingSports) August 25, 2026
Kelly’s 2026 Season
While the alleged sign relaying certainly hasn’t sat well with Kelly or the Diamondbacks, the veteran pitcher has also endured a difficult season on the mound, which could add to the frustration.
Kelly is now 8-12 with a 5.35 ERA, the highest mark of his eight-year MLB career. He also owns a -0.3 WAR and has recorded 88 strikeouts and 60 walks across 24 starts.
Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly Makes Strong Accusation Against Cubs Coach