This story was excerpted from Steve Gilbert’s D-backs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Drey Jameson is still getting acclimated to pitching out of the bullpen, but the D-backs right-hander is enjoying his experience so far. 

“It's pretty good,” Jameson said. “It's a little different at first, but I kind of like the role. I don’t know a specific role that I’m in, kind of whenever I’m needed.” 

When Ryne Nelson won the fifth spot in the rotation over him, Jameson welcomed a chance to be part of the Opening Day roster in a relief role. The D-backs were clear that they still see the 25-year-old as a starter long term, but felt he was one of their 13 best pitchers and deserved to have a spot on the roster. 

The plan was that they would try and keep him stretched out as much as possible, using him in multi-inning roles. That way he could slide into the rotation if need be. 

The plan worked to perfection in the season’s second game when he came on in relief of **Merrill Kelly **and saved the bullpen by working four innings while allowing just one run. 

But with the unpredictability of the baseball season, you can’t always plan perfectly for usage by a reliever and with some of their late-inning options unavailable, the D-backs turned to Jameson last Tuesday in the eighth inning to hold an 8-5 lead. 

Jameson allowed a solo homer but managed to record his first career save while enjoying the rush that came with it. 

“Hopefully, that's the role I'm going to take on later -- being in games when we have a chance to win the game or we have the lead,” Jameson said. “I want to be the guy that gets in there. I think I perform good in that situation and it’s fun. The nerves were definitely going a little bit.” 

The biggest challenge for a starter making the transition to the bullpen is to figure out the best routine to get ready and how to stay sharp between outings without overthrowing.  

“I'm learning that now,” Jameson said. “I haven't been put into a situation of like, hey, we've got two batters and then you're in the game kind of situation. I’ve had a whole inning where I knew I was going in, so I build myself for that. I don't know what it feels like to be rushed to get into the game.”