Ryne Nelson Dominates Padres in MLB Debut

Ryne Nelson throws 7 shutout innings in Diamondbacks 5-0 win

© Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

With 77 family, friends, and coaches in attendance, Henderson, Nevada native Ryne Nelson made his major league debut in dominating fashion, shutting out the San Diego Padres for 7 innings. The rookie right hander allowed a leadoff double to Jurickson Profar in the first inning, and then retired 17 straight batters. The Diamondbacks offense gave him the necessary run support in a 5-0 victory

Ryne Nelson is mowing 'em down. pic.twitter.com/6RA8PqM6Ws

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) September 5, 2022

It was Profar who broke up that streak by doubling again with two outs in the 6th, but Nelson got Juan Soto to fly out to center to end that threat. He would be tested one more time, allowing two singles around two strikeouts in the 7th. Manager Torey Lovullo stuck with the rookie, opting to send pitching coach Brent Strom out to the mound instead of making a pitching change.  Lovullo described it as a "good mound visit" and felt Nelson was still in control.  It worked, as he got out of the inning and gained valuable confidence and experience when Matt Beatty flew out to right field. 

Nelson struck out 7 and did not walk a batter. Perhaps with a bit of adrenaline pumping, he was consistently hitting 97 MPH on his fastball early in the game. Thats about 3 or 4 MPH faster than he was recorded in most of his starts at AAA Reno. 19 of his first 22 pitches were fastballs. 

Shifting gears in the 3rd inning he starting using his breaking and off speed pitches to keep hitters off balance. By the time his outing was over Nelson threw 87 pitches, including 58 Fastballs, with a 95.0 average velocity. He mixed in 12 curves, 10 sliders, and 7 changeups.  5 of his 7 strikeouts were looking, but he also generated 10 swing and misses among the 41 swings. 

There were so many aspects of this outing that were impressive. The Diamondbacks only scored one run off Padres starter Blake Snell. Stone Garrett and Alek Thomas hit back to back doubles in the second inning. That gave Nelson the slimmest of Margins with no margin for error. Snell was terrific in this game as well, throwing 6 innings, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 10. He used his elite slider to get hitter after hitter swinging and missing. (15 of 24 swings against Snell's slider were whiffs). But Nelson never faltered. 

This was the best MLB debut by a Diamondbacks starting pitcher in franchise history. Previously Archie Bradley and Zack Godley each went 6 scoreless innings in their MLB debuts in 2015. Of course Tyler Gilbert pitched a no-hitter for the Diamondbacks last year in his first ever MLB start, but he had previously pitched in relief.  In additon, since 1901 the only pitcher with 7+ innings with 0 runs and 0 walks and at least 7 strikeouts in his MLB debut was Nick Kingham of the Pittsburgh Pirates on 4/29/2018 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

It's fair to say nothing quite like this was expected. Nelson is ranked as the 9th best prospect in the D-backs system.  He came into today with a 5.43 ERA pitching in the notoriously difficult environment of Reno and the PCL. It shows once again the distorting effect on both pitching and hitting numbers in that league. 

Nelson said that leading up to the game it was pretty nerve wracking. "but once I got out there on the mound it felt right, it didn't feel like I was pressing too hard.  Everything was coming out good. I had all my pitches working. Once I got that first strike it felt really good."

Stone Garrett hit a solo homer in the top of the 7th to give Nelson a little more cushion. It was his 3rd of the year. He is 14 for 33 in 10 games since being called up, batting .424 with a 1.242 OPS.  The D-backs tacked on two more in the 8th inning on a two out RBI base hit by Christian Walker, scoring Geraldo Perdomo and Josh Rojas. Alek Thomas had a sac fly RBI in the 9th

With the victory the Diamondbacks improve to 65-69 and a .500 season suddenly well within their sights. 

STONE GARRETT.

SEE YA. pic.twitter.com/0k7xSsNdSK

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) September 6, 2022