ATLANTA — These days, Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson seems to get a new role every week — and he seems to handle each the same way.
“Yeah,” he said, smiling, when asked if he was getting used to the constant change. “A little bit of flexibility never hurt anybody.”
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Last week, Nelson was being viewed as a potential salve for the club’s troubled late-inning relief corps. But in the wake of right-hander Corbin Burnes’ elbow injury, Nelson instead will head back to the starting rotation, where he will be tasked with replacing a pitcher who had just signed a $210 million contract.
Once again, he is taking the change in stride.
“Obviously, first and foremost, just thinking about Corbin and hoping that he’s not facing anything too serious and it’s something he can come back for and get back with his team,” Nelson said. “He’s definitely a big piece of what we’ve got going on here.
“Whatever I can do to help the team and get out there and get some outs, I’m going to put everything I can into it and prepare and just do what I can.”
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He’s targeted for a start in Cincinnati for the second game of a three-game weekend series on June 7.
For most of the past year, Nelson has been perfectly capable, no matter the role. At this point last season, Nelson owned a 6.02 ERA. His spot in the rotation was largely a product of his health — that is to say, he had his at a time when others did not.
But sometime around then, things began to click for him on the mound, and for most of the final three-plus months of the season, he was the Diamondbacks’ best starting pitcher. Despite opening this year in the bullpen — he was crowded out of the rotation as a result of the aforementioned Burnes signing — Nelson has continued to put up solid results.
From July 2, 2024, through the end of May, Nelson has logged a 3.18 ERA in 124 2/3 innings with 27 walks and 115 strikeouts.
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The reasons offered for Nelson’s turnaround vary depending on who is asked. For manager Torey Lovullo, it comes down to pitch sequencing as well as improvements with his cutter and breaking ball.
“Now he has a really good down-breaking ball that forces right-handed hitters to reach a little bit,” Lovullo said. “It’s three really, really good pitches.”
Assistant general manager Amiel Sawdaye agreed, adding that Nelson has a better recognition of what works for him at the major league level.
“There’s better command, more execution this year than there was in previous times,” Sawdaye said. “I think that’s part of a young pitcher knowing you don’t have to rear back and (blow it by guys). If you throw 93, 94 on the black, it’s better than 97 mislocated. I think we can tell these guys that, but I don’t know that they actually believe it until they go through it.”
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson (19) throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Chase Field on May 26, 2025.
Nelson sees improvements in his repertoire, but the first thing he noted is how much better his mentality has become compared to early last season. He said he has found a way to stay focused on what he can do next rather than being fixated on a previous outing.
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“I think I was riding the good ones out too long and really wearing the bad ones for a long time,” he said. “I think that’s a dangerous game to play when you’re riding with it and not staying even-keel.”
The Diamondbacks will need more than just Nelson’s contributions if they are going to withstand Burnes’ loss, no matter how long he is out. (Burnes landed on the 15-day injured list this week and is seeking multiple medical opinions on how to proceed.)
Namely, that means better results from veterans Zac Gallen and Eduardo Rodriguez, both of whom have struggled to find consistency this season. Gallen has turned in a handful of dominant performances but owned just a 5.54 ERA entering his start in the series opener here.
Fortunately, he found some answers, leading the Diamondbacks to an 8-3 win in the series opener here; Rodriguez pitched better early in the year than he did before landing on the injured list, though he is expected to return when the club travels to Cincinnati for a series June 6-8.
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“If we get the early version of E-Rod from the first three or four weeks of the season,” Sawdaye said, “and the version of Gallen that we know is out there — I think, you know, Merrill has been Merrill. Nelly (has been good). We’ll be fine.”
Said Lovullo: “I want them to be the best version of themselves without putting too much pressure on themselves. I know (that) Zac — he’d be the first to tell you this — is much better than he’s been pitching and I think he’s frustrated by that.
“He’s very determined. I want them to go out there and be themselves and when they are, they’re going to pick up the slack just fine.”
Diamondbacks at Braves, 4:15 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (5-2, 3.78) vs. Braves LHP Chris Sale (3-3, 3.06).
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At Truist Park: Kelly had a rare off night in his most recent start, giving up six runs (four earned) against the Washington Nationals. He was hurt by a first-inning error by 2B Ketel Marte, then served up a pair of homers in a four-run third inning. … It was the second start in a row in which he gave up four earned runs. Prior to that, he had gone eight consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or fewer. … Kelly threw well against the Braves on April 26, giving up two runs in six innings. … Sale gave up one run in five innings against the Diamondbacks on April 25. That was the beginning of a seven-start run of impressive outings that he takes into this one. Over those seven starts, he has a 1.42 ERA in 44 1/3 innings. … Sale is again eliciting huge whiff numbers out of his slider, getting swings and misses 41.9 percent of the time. He is averaging 94.9 mph with his fastball. … OF Randal Grichuk is 6 for 25 (.240) with two homers off Sale.
Coming up
June 5: At Atlanta, 9:15 a.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-4, 5.05) vs. Braves RHP Grant Holmes (3-4, 3.78).
June 6: At Cincinnati, 4:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (1-3, 7.05) vs. Reds LHP Nick Lodolo (4-4, 3.10).
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June 7: At Cincinnati, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (2-1, 3.43) vs. Reds RHP Nick Martinez (3-6, 3.89).
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Atlanta Braves: pitching matchups, more