Ryne Nelson DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ryne Nelson pitched well in his third start of the season, earning a win in Monday's 5-0 game against the Pirates. Nelson pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and no walks with four strikeouts. Nelson had been pitching out of the bullpen, but his last two appearances have been starts. Manager Terry Lovullo said that Nelson will make his next start on Sunday, so his recent performances have not gone unnoticed. The 27-year-old is now 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and an 8.05 K/9 rate in 38 IP. Nelson has shown signs of fantasy life throughout his career but has never consistently produced. His next start will be a decent matchup against the Nationals, so there's a chance he can extend his strong start streak.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ryne Nelson (shoulder) was activated off the 15-day IL, according to Alex Weiner of KTAR News. Nelson was placed on the IL on September 14 and will return to action quite quickly. However, seeing that Nelson only logged bullpen sessions while he was sidelined suggests he may be deployed in a long relief role down the stretch. Through 147 2/3 innings this summer, the 26-year-old posted a 4.33 ERA and 1.27 WHIP with a 34:125 BB:K ratio. Under the hood, the Oregon State product held a below-average 41.2% hard-hit rate but showed excellent command with a 5.5% BB rate. Fantasy managers should not consider putting Nelson in their lineup over the final series, as he will likely serve as a long relief option.

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson (shoulder) threw 16 pitches in an abbreviated bullpen session on Sept. 21 and threw 28 pitches in a similar session on Tuesday. Nelson experienced shoulder discomfort during a throwing session on Sept. 14 and was put on the 15-day injured list. The Diamondbacks are hopeful that he will be ready to return when his IL stint is up, which would allow him to be a part of the playoff roster if the team secures a wild-card spot in the National League. Manager Torey Lovullo said the team is undecided on whether Nelson could return to the starting rotation or be used as a multi-inning reliever in the short-term. The 26-year-old will likely be used in relief whenever he returns. Entering play on Wednesday, Arizona is in the final wild-card spot in the NL but is only up by half a game over the Atlanta Braves.