After a great 2025 season in Japan, a former Philadelphia Phillies reliever is expected to get attention in Major League Baseball this offseason.
Nick Nelson had a strong season for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). In 31 appearances, the veteran right-hander went 2-1 with a 1.55 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over 46 1/3 innings. He allowed only eight runs and struck out 41 hitters in the process.
This was Nelson’s debut year pitching in Japan after signing a one-year, $1 million contract to take his talents overseas after spending five years in the Major League Baseball from 2020-2024.
Nelson, 29, began his career with the New York Yankees before being moved to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2021 alongside Donny Sands for T.J. Rumfield and Joel Valdez. He served three seasons at Philadelphia, from 2022 to 2024.
Nelson played the most in 2022, finishing 3-2 in 47 games. His ERA, at 4.85, was less than stellar, as he allowed 37 earned runs in 68 2/3 innings. Despite this, he made the Phillies’ postseason roster and appeared once in the World Series, against the Houston Astros.
Nelson remained with the organization for two more years, moving between the major league club and Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He concluded his major league career with a 4-2 record and a 4.65 ERA after 52 games. He has officially elected free agency after the 2024 season.
Nelson isn’t the only former Phillies player who has taken his talents to Japan. This season, Maikel Franco and Yunior Marte competed in the NPB with the Chunichi Dragons and the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Charlie Manuel, the legendary Phillies manager, spent five years with the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Yakut Swallows, where he won three pennants and a Japan Series triumph.
With pitching at a premium in MLB, particularly among relievers, Nelson has a shot to rekindle his major league career in 2026.
He has substantial major league experience and would be an inexpensive option for a team seeking for bullpen help in either the minors or the majors. He also provides flexibility as a spot starter, as the Phillies and Yankees took use of throughout his tenure with both teams.
If Nelson makes it back to a major league squad next season, his time in Japan will be remembered as a watershed moment in his professional baseball career.