It was neat.
Ah the knuckleball. The weirdest pitch in baseball. Difficult to learn and even harder to hit when working well, it has many times been the last resort of a desperate pitcher. If you can master the wild knuckler, you can carve out a decent career.
Nick Nelson began to experiment with a knuckleball at Triple-A this season around late July. It became a regular part of his arsenal around August. Unfortunately, he was only able to unleash two knuckleballs in the Majors this season.
2024 stats: 4 G, 5.1 IP, 5.06 ERA, 1.87 WHIP
What went right
Nelson stayed mostly healthy and avoided any lengthy stints on the injured list after missing a large chunk of time in 2023 with a hamstring strain.
What went wrong
Nelson started the year in Lehigh Valley but was recalled to Philadelphia on March 31st, the fourth day of the regular season. He appeared in his first game the next day and got the last out in the top of the tenth in a 6-3 loss. Nelson allowed a run on two hits in the ninth inning in a 4-1 loss on April 3rd in his next appearance. Finally, he pitched two innings in relief and allowed a run in a 5-1 win on April 11th before being sent back to Triple-A on April 14th.
Nelson made 34 appearances with the Iron Pigs and logged a 6.13 ERA with a 2-5 record across 54.1 innings pitched. Experimenting with the knuckleball did not translate to much of a reversal of fortunes. Nelson would make one more appearance with the Phillies on September 6th, pitching two mop up innings in a 16-2 win.
The future with the Phillies
Nelson’s 2022 saw him be an effective long reliever and pitch a scoreless inning in the World Series, but he hasn’t been able to stick in the Majors since due to injuries and poor performance. In 2024, he was removed from the Phillies 40-man roster on August 11th but cleared waivers. He was added back to the 40-man on September 3rd but was once again designated for assignment on September 7th. He once again cleared waivers and was sent to Lehigh Valley. Nelson elected free agency on October 10th, likely ending his time with the Phillies organization.