Dodgers: Jimmy Nelson Hits Free Agency After the Team Declines His Option

The Dodgers have made their first official move of the offseason. Unfortunately, it was not adding in a player, but rather letting one walk. The team has declined to pick up the option on right-handed pitcher Jimmy Nelson. 

Nelson signed with Los Angeles during the last offseason for $1.25 million and a team option for 2021. That option would have come in at $2 million for the year, but the Dodgers instead chose to buy him out at $500,000.

#Dodgers spent $500k today. Declined $2m option on RHP Jimmy Nelson for 2021 and paid the buyout instead. Nelson missed 2020 after back surgery. Now a free agent.

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 30, 2020

It was a pretty short and uneventful time in Los Angeles for Nelson. He got a slow start to Spring Training with what was originally described as a lower-body injury. That later turned out to be a back injury that would require season-ending surgery. With that, Nelson never got to throw a meaningful pitch for the Dodgers.

The Dodgers could still potentially resign Nelson to a short-term deal worth much less than his option year. From everything that has been said of Nelson in camp and with executives, the team has loved the flexibility that he can offer. Unfortunately, injuries have limited him to just 10 games since the start of the 2018 season. 

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