Call to the pen
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Los Angeles Dodgers lose key piece of bullpen for season

By Kevin Henry

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 25: Jimmy Nelson #41 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on July 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 25: Jimmy Nelson #41 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium on July 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are losing one of their most reliable relievers for the rest of the season.

Here is the latest news about Jimmy Nelson of the Los Angeles Dodgers

According to a tweet from the Dodgers, right-hander Jimmy Nelson will undergo season-ending elbow surgery. He will be transferred to the 60-day injured list and will have season-ending elbow surgery as well as undergo repair to a right flexor tendon.

The injury continues a string of missed games for the 33-year-old Nelson, who missed the entire 2020 season with a back injury that eventually required surgery. Suffering from right forearm inflammation and a left lumbar strain, Nelson saw action in just 28 games for the Dodgers this season. However, when he was healthy, he was very effective, posting a 211 ERA+.

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Nelson last pitched for the Dodgers on July 30 against Arizona, allowing one hit and an unearned run. The run against him was the only one in six appearances covering five innings in July and the first one since June 25, which was the date that the only run was tallied against him in that entire month.

The former second-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers started the season slowly, posting a 4.09 ERA in April as opponents hit .225 against him, totaling 11 hits in all. However, Nelson would allow just 17 combined hits over the next three months as opposing batters never hit higher than .118 against him.

Nelson primarily saw action for the Dodgers in the seventh and eighth innings of games this season. He was particularly effective in the eighth inning, posting a 1.12 ERA as batters were just 2-for-25 against him in the frame and he struck out 10 while walking one.

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Signed to a minor league contract before the season, Nelson proved his worth in a relief role in 2021. Now the question becomes who will replace him in his role for the Dodgers. The answer could be Corey Knebel, who has been out with an injury since late April but is working his way back to the Majors through a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He could return to the Dodgers early next week.

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