Diamondbacks Reliever Kyle Nelson to have Thoracic Outlet Surgery

Nelson is expected to miss significant time for a bullpen already in flux.

Apr 1, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Kyle Nelson against the New York Yankees / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Kyle Nelson was transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier today, and the worst fears were confirmed by Torey Lovullo during his afternoon media session. Nelson has Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and will have surgery performed by Dr. Gregory Pearl of Texas. That is the same vascular surgeon who performed Merrill Kelly's surgery in 2020.

Lovullo indicated that Nelson's case was Neurogenic TOS, as opposed to the vascular form of the surgery that Kelly required. The pitcher has been experiencing symptoms for some time but only let the staff know shortly before going on the injured list on April 23rd. "Kyle Nelson has been trying to gut this out and eventually he spoke up."

Nelson began the year pitching very well. In his first eight games he threw 9.1 innings, giving up just three hits, two walks, and striking out seven, without allowing a homer or an earned run. Starting on April 16th however three straight poor outings ensued. Neslon faced 11 batters but recorded just three outs, allowing five runs on five hits, including two homers, with two walks.

That ballooned his ERA to 4.22, but the damage wasn't limited to just his ERA as Nelson also allowed seven of nine inherited runners to score this year. According to Lovullo, the discomfort and symptoms started even before Nelson's results started to turn south.

According to the MLB Glossary: "During surgery to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, both the first rib -- the uppermost of the ribs, which is attached to the first thoracic vertebrae at the base of the neck, angles down and connects to the sternum just below the collarbone -- and the scalene muscles are removed to clear space for the nerves in the thoracic outlet."

Recovery time is a minimum of 12 weeks, so Nelson will do well to return sometime in August or September. It's yet another blow for a team that has been reeling from injuries. The D-backs recently called up Andrew Saalfrank to replace Nelson, but he had a poor outing against the Dodgers on Monday night, walking the bases loaded and then giving up a two-run double.

Left-hander Brandon Hughes was called up Tuesday while starting pitcher Tommy Henry was optioned to Triple-A Reno. Ryne Nelson will be activated off the injured list to start this Sunday against the Padres, and most likely one of Saalfrank, Hughes, or Justin Martinez could be optioned back out to Reno.