Nelson played for the Cleveland Indians from 1968 to 1969, the Washington Senators/Texas Rangers from 1970 to 1975, and for the Kansas City Royals from 1976 to 1977. From 1980 to 1984, he was the official coach of the Chicago White Sox. Nelson was a pregame analyst briefly for the Chicago Cubs, but mainly worked for the Milwaukee Brewers on Fox Sports Wisconsin in his later years.