Dodgers: Jimmy Nelson roasts ESPN over Opening Day coverage

ESPN had a less than a stellar start to the season.

Los Angeles Dodgers fans have been waiting nine months to see real baseball games again, and ESPN robbed them of the first pitch. As Mike Yastrzemski reached on an infield error by Corey Seager, the Worldwide Leader in Sports was still in a commercial break.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, a commercial break overlapped the first pitch of the top of the second inning, too.

Dodger fans were quick to voice their displeasure on social media. And so was injured pitcher Jimmy Nelson, who had a different complaint about the coverage.

After Dustin May effectively mowed down the Giants order throwing absolute gas – reaching 100 MPH – with little fanfare from the broadcast booth, Giants starter Johnny Cueto received all kinds of attention for his herky-jerky delivery.

https://twitter.com/Jimmy_J_Nelson/status/1286495293173891072?s=20

“ESPN more impressed with Cuetos windeups than May throwing 97-100 mph left-handed sliders and 95 mph cutters,” Nelson tweeted.

Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, and Tim Kurkjian made up the broadcast team for ESPN. Dodger fans will be happy to hear from Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser on Friday night.

Jimmy Nelson is still watching the Dodgers while recovering from a back injury.

Nelson was recently moved to the 45-day injured list after undergoing surgery on his lower back, which will keep him out for the season. The Dodgers signed him this past offseason to an incentive-based contract, hoping he could remain healthy after injuries have limited him to three starts over the past two years in Milwaukee.

The Dodgers are already dipping into their pitching depth after David Price decided to opt out due to coronavirus concerns, and it was revealed just before opening night that Clayton Kershaw is sidelined from back stiffness.

By back-dating Kershaw’s placement on the injured list, he will be available to pitch next week against Arizona, but you always have to worry when you see a back injury associated with Kershaw.

Dustin May got the start in Kershaw’s place on Thursday and looked impressive over his first few innings (at current time of writing).