Nelson (elbow) resumed his rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, striking out one batter over a scoreless inning.
Nelson has remained on the Dodgers' 60-day injured list all season, despite having now made 24 appearances between Oklahoma City and the rookie-level Arizona Complex League over the course of four separate rehab assignments. His outing Tuesday with Oklahoma City came after he had been out of action for about two and a half weeks. Dating back to Aug. 4, Nelson has now struck out seven while allowing eight baserunners over five scoreless innings across his last five outings. If he can remain free of setbacks in his subsequent minor-league appearances, Nelson could get the chance to join the Los Angeles bullpen in September.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Begins another rehab assignment
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Nelson (elbow) began a second rehab stint with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Nelson had to agree to the rehab assignment since he had already spent 30 days pitching in the minors during an initial rehab stint. He elected to remain in the organization as he looks to work his way back onto an MLB mound for the first time since 2021. Nelson made his first appearance in 10 days Tuesday, tossing a scoreless inning during which he walked one and struck out one. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated in early July that the right-hander hadn't "gotten quite there yet" in terms of being ready to return to the big club, and it's unclear how much more time Nelson will need with OKC before Los Angeles feels comfortable activating him.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Roster decision looms
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The Dodgers have until Monday to either activate Nelson (elbow) or designate him for assignment, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
Nelson began a minor-league rehab assignment June 10, and he's thrown in 10 games thus far, posting a 3.72 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 12:5 K:BB over 9.2 innings. The veteran hurler hasn't pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of 2021, though he did see some action in exhibition play during spring training this year. While Nelson has fared reasonably well during his current rehab stint, he has yet to pitch in back-to-back games or throw over one inning in any outing, which could be a barrier to him returning to the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts hinted as such Thursday, saying of Nelson, "There's the health component, that's one part of it. But also on rehab, getting the stuff where it needs to be, to be major-league-ready and serviceable. We haven't gotten quite there yet." Roberts added, "I really don't know what's going to happen on Day 31."
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Could return Tuesday
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) tossed a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance Sunday and could be activated as early as Tuesday, Howard Cole of Off Base with Howard Cole reports.
Nelson has now pitched in six minor-league games since restarting a rehab stint June 10, allowing one unearned run and posting a 7:2 K:BB over 5.2 frames. His past two outings have been with Triple-A Oklahoma City after he kicked off the assignment with the organization's ACL club. Nelson hasn't seen big-league action since 2021, so it's not certain that he's ready to join the Dodgers just yet. However, the veteran right-hander appears to be reasonably close to making his 2023 debut in Los Angeles' bullpen, and he was very effective in that role two seasons ago, posting a 1.86 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 44:13 K:BB over 29 innings.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Begins rehab assignment in ACL
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) was sent on a rehab assignment with the ACL Dodgers on Saturday.
Nelson was transferred to the 60-day injured list in the middle of May, and while he's now eligible to be activated off the list since he's missed the entirety of the 2023 campaign, there's no clear timetable for when the right-hander will return to the Los Angeles bullpen. He'll likely need a couple weeks of rehab appearances at least, with a chance to help the Dodgers near the end of June.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Heads to 60-day IL after setback
Rotowire
The Dodgers transferred Nelson (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.
Since Nelson has been on the shelf all season, he'll be eligible for activation as soon as May 29 after shifting to the 60-day IL, but he doesn't look as though he'll be ready to go by that date. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2021, Nelson was eased along slowly in spring training before he was cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment in late April. However, Nelson made just one appearance in the minors before he was shut down from throwing after experiencing an apparent setback in his recovery from elbow surgery, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. The Dodgers haven't provided an update regarding when Nelson might be ready to resume a throwing progression.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Set for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Nelson finally appears to be nearing the end of his recovery from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent back in August 2021. He reportedly looked sharp in Dodgers camp this spring and could be an option for their major-league bullpen in the early part of May if all goes well at the Triple-A level.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Eyeing rehab assignment
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) threw Monday at Camelback Ranch and is closing in on a rehab assignment, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
Nelson has been on the 15-day injured list since March 30 as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, and the news out of Dodgers' camp has been promising for the right-hander. The club will likely re-evaluate Nelson on Tuesday following his latest throwing session to determine whether he's ready for live action.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Moved to 15-day IL
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday, retroactive to March 27.
Nelson was able to make some Cactus League appearances this spring, but the Dodgers don't want to rush his return from Tommy John surgery. He could be ready to go around mid-April.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Fires scoreless inning
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) threw a scoreless inning with a strikeout during Tuesday's exhibition game against the Angels, Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports.
The strikeout was the first that Nelson has picked up this spring. The right-hander is going to open the 2023 season on the injured list, but it's encouraging to see him pitch well after struggling for most of the Cactus League. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters they'll evaluate Nelson on a week-to-week basis, so there's no timetable for when he'll be ready to contribute to the Dodgers' bullpen.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: To open season on IL
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Nelson (elbow) will open the season on the injured list, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Nelson hasn't suffered any sort of setback, but the Dodgers want to give him more time to work fully into form after he missed the entire 2022 season following Tommy John surgery. It seems like he could be an option for the Los Angeles bullpen before the end of April.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Not a lock for Opening Day roster
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Nelson is projected to make the Opening Day roster for the Dodgers, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports.
Nelson signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Dodgers after missing all of the 2022 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he's struggled to throw strikes in the Cactus League with eight walks against zero strikeouts over four appearances and 2.1 innings. It's not surprising that there's some things to iron out considering how much time Nelson has missed, but the lack of strike-throwing at least puts him on the roster bubble.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Struggles in return to mound
Rotowire
Nelson allowed two walks and one hit without retiring any batters in a Cactus League contest against Texas on Wednesday.
Nelson missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, so it's no surprise that he was rusty in his first spring outing. The right-hander is attempting to win a spot in the Dodgers' bullpen to enter the campaign after re-signing with the club on a one-year contract in mid-February. Manager Dave Roberts indicated after Nelson's outing Wednesday that he's not concerned about the veteran hurler, suggesting that the rainy weather and poor mound condition may have prevented him from getting comfortable, per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: No limitations this spring
Rotowire
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Thursday that Nelson (elbow) has no limitations this spring, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Nelson officially re-signed with the Dodgers on Wednesday on a one-year, $1.2 million deal, and Roberts has called him a "full-go" for all camp workouts. The 33-year-old did not pitch at any level in 2022 following Tommy John surgery in August 2021, but that is well behind him now. He has past experience as both a starter and a reliever, and Los Angeles could deploy him as a versatile swingman in 2023 if his health cooperates.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Re-signs with Dodgers
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) agreed Wednesday with the Dodgers on a one-year, $1.2 million deal, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.
Nelson's deal includes incentives that could push his contract up to $4 million in total value. After Nelson missed the entire 2022 season while on the mend from August 2021 Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers declined their $1.1 million team option for the right-hander, who will end up getting a slight pay raise for 2023 after all is said and done. He'll have a chance to help the Dodgers' pitching staff at some point in 2023, but it's unclear if Nelson enters spring training with a clean bill of health or still has a few hurdles to clear in the rehab process.
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Jimmy Nelson: Optioned declined by Dodgers
Rotowire
The Dodgers declined Nelson's (elbow) $1.1 million club option for 2023 on Tuesday, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports.
The veteran right-hander re-signed with Los Angeles in March after he underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2021, but the organization won't exercise his option for next season. Nelson didn't play in 2022 while rehabbing from the procedure, and it's unclear if he's expected to be ready to go for spring training in February.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Placed on 60-day injured list
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Friday.
Nelson joined the Dodgers on a major-league deal Tuesday despite the fact that he's working his way back from Tommy John surgery last August. If he makes it back this season, it will be only for a brief stint at the end of the year. The move makes way for the Dodgers to add Danny Duffy, who's making his way back from a forearm injury of his own.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: On mend from Tommy John
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Nelson confirmed Wednesday that the elbow procedure he underwent last August was Tommy John surgery, Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register reports. "There's unfinished business for me, personally," Nelson said, while adding that he hopes to resume game action in September.
The Tommy John surgery is the latest in a long line of health-related setbacks for Nelson, whose once held promise as a front-of-the-rotation pitcher for the Brewers before suffering a serious shoulder injury while running the bases late in the 2017 season. In the four years since, Nelson has tossed just 51 innings at the big-league level. He found some brief success early last season as a reliever for the Dodgers before the elbow issue surfaced, and after requiring another major surgery, he may face an uphill battle to make it back to the big leagues. He re-signed with the Dodgers earlier this week on a one-year deal that includes a team option for 2023, so the organization will presumably track his progress in the months to come before deciding whether to keep him in the fold heading into next spring.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Back with Dodgers
Rotowire
Nelson (elbow) returned to the Dodgers on Tuesday, Pedro Moura of Fox Sports reports.
Nelson's contract is a major-league one and comes with a team option for 2023, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The 32-year-old recorded an excellent 1.86 ERA and a 37.9 percent strikeout rate last season, but that came in just 29 innings, as he hit the injured list three times and missed almost all of the last two months of the season with an elbow issue that eventually required surgery.
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Dodgers' Jimmy Nelson: Requires season-ending surgery
Rotowire
Nelson will require season-ending elbow surgery and was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday.
Nelson began his third IL stint of the season Wednesday, and he'll be sidelined for the remainder of the year due to a procedure that will address his elbow injury and repair a right flexor tendon. The right-hander made 28 appearances (one start) in his first season with the Dodgers and posted a 1.86 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 29 innings. He's slated to become a free agent during the offseason.
