How Diamondbacks Righty Will Benefit From Rotation Clarity

"There was a lot of soreness," Nelson told Gilbert. "Full body, arm, the classic shoulder soreness, [an] arm can feel tired. All spring, I was preparing to be a starter, and it was a slow ramp-up, and then once the season started, I got moved to the bullpen, and you're coming into one-run games, so there's more adrenaline than I had had.

"I think it just kind of shocked the system a little bit. It was never anything major but stuff that we had to maintain and address, so that's where [manager Torey Lovullo's] protectiveness came from. He wanted to make sure I stayed healthy."

Nelson's pitch count was a careful science, often to the dismay of fans. But in a year when injuries claimed the season of numerous key pitchers, it was better to be safe than sorry with a rising arm like Nelson.

Now, Nelson won't have that uncertainty. He is firmly in the rotation, and likely wouldn't be the first one pushed out in case of an external addition. That will allow him to ramp up as a starter, and hit the ground running without the same level of early limitations.

Still, Nelson is prepared for whatever may come his way. He isn't taking his role for granted. The right-hander also told Gilbert he's added muscle, and is continuing to develop his secondary pitches.

"I feel the exact same coming into camp this year as I did last year," Nelson said. "I think the second you get comfortable, and you think that things are going to be easy or whatnot, you start to let what got you here slip," he said.

Nelson appears to be heading in an extremely positive direction, and — barring injury — will be one of the leaders of the D-backs' rotation in 2026.

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