What are the next steps for Ryne Nelson, Diamondbacks after latest crushing injury?
Ryne Nelson will not throw for a few weeks before getting re-imaged, and the Diamondbacks will have to figure out that rotation spot.
Starting pitcher Ryne Nelson #19 of the Arizona Diamondbacks is relieved against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 13, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
(Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Ryne Nelson felt something was off in his right elbow during the third inning of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday.
His next pitch was 98 mph, so he figured he could push through it, and he did with seven strong innings to earn a win. Playing catch the next day was a struggle, leading to an MRI on Thursday.
On Friday, the Diamondbacks put Nelson on the injured list with a sprained right elbow.
The game plan for now is to rest and see how he feels in four-to-six weeks.
“It’s a little flexor strain, UCL sprain, so I’m just going to shut it down for a little bit, try and rehab and see where it’s at in a few weeks,” Nelson said. “It’s kind of unknown for me, so I think for the most part just disappointed that I can’t go out there and compete and try and help this team win. But hopefully if everything goes well, I can get back and help them this year and try and help down the stretch.”
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Manager Torey Lovullo confirmed that Nelson has both a flexor strain and a UCL sprain, but he did not know the grade on the injuries. Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported that there was a partial tear involved.
Nelson said this was not the “worst-case scenario” of a full UCL tear.
Lovullo said Nelson will not throw for four-to-six weeks and get re-imaged in six weeks. Six weeks will take him to the end of July, as he is on the Corbin Burnes timeline of hopefully returning sometime in September.
“I’ve seen miracles happen, so we’ll stay positive,” Lovullo said.
Nelson’s velocity was up throughout Monday’s outing (97.1 mph average fastball), as he threw multiple 98 mph heaters in that third inning.
Lovullo suggested that Nelson felt something throwing one pitch in particular, and the right-hander only used one more cutter throughout his outing. He threw a 98 mph heater after a cutter in the last at-bat of that third inning to Nolan Schanuel, although it has not been confirmed whether that was the specific pitch.
“It’s like a bit of a sharp pain in the elbow,” Nelson explained how it is feeling. “I’ve never really dealt with anything like that before.”
What does the Ryne Nelson injury mean for the Diamondbacks’ rotation?
Nelson was lined up to start Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins.
The Diamondbacks can either call someone up from Triple-A Reno to give them innings, use a bullpen game or push Merrill Kelly up a day, since the D-backs had Thursday off and he would be under normal rest at that point.
Lovullo said a decision has not yet been made on how to handle Sunday, but the D-backs will need a starter to fill that spot sooner or later.
Brandon Pfaadt is getting stretched out in Reno, but he only threw 42 pitches over 3.1 innings in his latest appearance on Sunday. Lovullo was clear that if the D-backs call up an arm from Reno on Sunday, it would likely not be Pfaadt.
“Brandon Pfaadt is going to somehow, someway fall into this equation,” Lovullo said. “But we want to make sure that when and if he gets back here, that he’s built out to a certain number of pitches, and 42 pitches is not a great spot.”
Left-handed pitching prospect Mitch Bratt returned from the seven-day IL in Reno to start on Tuesday, but he only threw 48 pitches in his return. Bratt is on the 40-man roster and has been the most effective starter in Reno this season with a 2.84 ERA in a hitter’s paradise.
Kohl Drake is another Aces starter on the 40-man roster who is stretched out.
Pfaadt figures to play a role when looking out to the rest of the season, while the Diamondbacks could add external help at the trade deadline, which is on Aug. 3. General manager Mike Hazen told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Wednesday that he planned to be a buyer, but of course the D-backs have to play well enough to position themselves for that commitment.
Hazen also addressed the pitching depth in his system:
“Brandon Pfaadt is a major league pitcher that we sent down to Triple-A because he wasn’t getting stretched out,” Hazen said. “We were trying to hold on as long as possible, but at some point we had to rip the band-aid off and ensure that he could get back up to 75 to 90 pitches, and so he’s down there doing that.
“He’s going to be back up here at some point, we know we’re going to need a starting pitcher. … We do have a good young crop of kids that are coming. One of the harder things to do is come up and be a major league starting pitcher as a young player because you’re carrying the burden of the entire game on your shoulders, so having young starting pitching is very tough, but they’re very talented and I’m confident that they’ll come up and give us what we need. “
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2 Comments
He was sent down to AAA because he couldn't perform at an acceptable level as a starter as well as a reliever. Pfaadt has a lifetime ERA of 5.19. He has an ERA of 5.92 for the 2026 season...if he was in the majors, he would be the fourth Dbacks pitchers on the dubious list of the eight starting pitchers with the highest ERAs.
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