After undergoing more rounds of cardiac testing, Brandon Nimmo has been cleared to resume baseball activity, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News). There was some concern yesterday after it was announced that Nimmo would be taking the extra tests after being scratched from a spring lineup, though it appears as though Nimmo can return to action as per usual. The outfielder is already trying to rebound from an injury-shortened season, as a bulging cervical disk limited Nimmo to only 69 games in 2019. While Nimmo is returning, however, Matt Adams will also be undergoing more cardiac tests. The eight-year veteran signed a minor league contract with the Mets last month and is hoping to crack the roster as first base/outfield bench depth.
More from the NL East…
- Though the Marlins traded Zac Gallen to the Diamondbacks last summer, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro doesn’t expect the Fish to part ways with any of its other young rotation arms with big league experience. The Gallen deal was unique in that Miami was able to acquire another very intriguing young player in Jazz Chisholm, and while such names as Caleb Smith, Sandy Alcantara, Pablo Lopez, and Jose Urena have drawn interest from other teams, the Marlins aren’t likely to move any more pitchers until they determine which of that group (as well as any of the other pitching prospects on the way up) are truly long-term pieces.
- Scott Kingery put on some extra weight and muscle during the offseason to help combat the grind of the long season, and he told reporters (including The Athletic’s Matt Gelb) that focusing on a single position might also help keep him fresh down the stretch. Throughout his two MLB seasons, Kingery’s play has suffered as the season has gone on, with a .576 OPS over 213 plate appearances in July and a .611 OPS in 157 September PA. “The more your body gets worn down, the more you start recruiting muscles that you don’t want to be recruiting in your swing. You’re just trying to find anything in your body to get your swing through rather than having it be free and easy like I want it,” Kingery said. Becoming a primary second baseman could also help, as Kingery said that playing a super-utility role made him “gassed by the time the game was played. It was a mental battle to try to figure out my routine and what I needed to do to get my mind and my body ready to play multiple positions.” While the Phillies may still deploy Kingery in the outfield on occasion, the team’s current plan is to line him up regularly at second base or third base, depending on where Jean Segura is best suited. Segura is himself changing positions, moving from his longtime shortstop spot to accommodate Didi Gregorius.
Kingery is a natural 2B but I think he’s destined for the hot corner this year. Segura has looked OK so far this spring at 3B, but ultimately he’ll play the keystone where his bat will play better.
Kingery has been leading off and it might be that way come the end of March. Cutch is coming off of major knee surgery and the Phillies may want to ease him back up the lineup when he trusts his knee 100%.
Kingery 3B
Segura 2B
Harper RF
Hoskins 1B
Gregorius SS
McCutchen LF
Realmuto C
Haisley CF
That’s a deep lineup but the top has to produce. He will give Realmuto looks in the two hole all spring but I think it’s more important that a catcher establish a flow with the starting pitcher early in the game.
1. Realmuto should be hitting somewhere in the 1st five spots. “Establish flow with the starting pitcher,” sounds like gibberish.
2. Kingery is at best the 7th best bat in the lineup. Why would I give him the most at bats per game?
Segura 2B
McCutchen LF
Harper RF
Hoskins 1B
Realmuto C
Gregorius SS
Kingery 3B
Haisley CF
Makes more sense and still gives you your “Establish flow” nonesense.
I like that lineup. That’s a strong pennant chasing lineup. They’ll be fun to watch this year again.
I like your lineup as well but Girardi said Gregorius is going to hit somewhere in the top 5 and I think he meant it. Scottie is going to have a breakout year btw dont sleep on him
I don’t think Segura hits that high. I think it’s more like:
1. Cutch
2. Realmuto
3. Harper
4. Hoskins
5. Didi
6. Segura
7. Kingery
8 Hasley
Rexx: I like your line up better than the other line ups that were proposed. However, we don’t have much speed, so in that vain, I’d bat Kingery second and move everyone else down a slot.
Segura? Didn’t run that much last year and his body looks a lot thicker than it did a few years back.
Also, do agree that Girardi should play Scotty at 2B and leave him there if possible. I say, “if possible” because our two current options in CF are either hurt all the time (Roman Quinn) or inexperienced (Haseley).
JMHO, but another 250 at bats at AAA wouldn’t be the worst thing for Haseley should he get off to a poor start. And batting in the eight hole ain’t exactly gonna help him.
No matter, unless the starting pitchers following Nola and Wheeler pitch well, we’re destined to finish in fourth place in the NL East. Quite simply, the Braves, Nats and Mets are better teams than we are.
Cutch is on base beast you hit him lead off
It’s amazing that a lineup like that could finish 1st or 4th this year. I hate the East lol.
The Marlins are much improved too. I don’t see them (Marlins) finishing 4th, but I wouldn’t bet against it.
1. Nationals
2. Braves
3. Phillies
4. Marlins
5. Mets
Marlins young pitching will step forward this year. Mets still have so many question marks. Cano? Edwin Diaz? Can their rotation stay healthy? Don’t like the makeup of their team at all.
Marlins have some improvements on offense this year. Dickerson, Villar. Anderson if he stays healthy and Garret Cooper/Jesus Aguilar (gotta figure one of them stays healthy and produces)… also I think Jesus Sanchez and Isan Diaz make the roster this year and shines… but I think we’ll see surprises mainly on the rotation. Alcantara, Smith and Lopez, and I think by season end, we’ll see Sixto and Neidhart solidify the other two spots.
Lmao
It’s laughable. Cano and Diaz could do worst than last year and the Mets talent would be still be light years ahead of marlins talent.
PCP IS BAD BOYZ AND GIRLZZZZ
Your name suits you because that is certainly a stretch… worse prediction I ever seen.
Kingery does not have the arm for 3b, but I’d argue he is one of the most valuable players on the Phillies.
Do not like Kingery at leadoff but if he plays at 2nd it is ok. Gregorius might flip with Sefura who should play 3rd. As the season progresses Cutch could move up and Segura down. Everything revolves around the Hoskins spot. He is a big question mark.
I can still see a Jose Urena trade.
Also regarding the Marlins, Magneuris Sierra doesn’t look to make the team, and he’s out of options. A trade to SF makes sense. Would love to see Aramis Garcia coming back, since he went to school in MIA.
Urena would make a lot of sense going to the Yanks in my opinion. Wouldn’t cost much prospect wise, maybe a mid level prospect, adding more long term talent to the Marlins system, and gives Yanks a nice No 5 starter to eat some innings this year…
The AL East teams, save for the O’s, would eat Urena alive. His pitches look like raw meat to a pit bull.
Scott will be OK as long as he knows where he’ll play and bat on a daily basis. If the Phils resign Didi, will that make Jean a trade candidate when Bohm is called up?
Everyone is super huge on Bohm, but please don’t forget Franco was a better ranked prospect than Bohm and that didn’t work out so well. I’m not sold on Bohm yet.
True. Franco got into bad habits at the plate. He’d be great in the cage then revert to the bad habits during the game. I saw Bohm in Reading. I only got to 2 games, but he looked good at the plate. He needs a little work on getting a jump on a ball in the hole between 3rd and SS. That should come with experience a d with practice drills with Bowa. Segura is doing that now in ST.
The Mets have 2 players with cardiac issues?
Loving that Miami Coca Cola.
Gallen was the last SP they shouldve traded. guy’s gonna be a stud if he stays healthy.
Are you aware of someone named Sixto Sanchez? What about Edward Cabrera? Does Braxton Garrett ring a bell?
Exactly OofAndYikes. Not to mention Nick Neidhart and I think Jordan Holloway is gonna be a stud too.. The Gallen deal made a ton of sense for the Marlins because they had no elite or even good, SS prospect before Chisholm. On top of which, the guys you mention have much higher upside then Gallen, who I think tops out as a No 4 starter… maybe a No 3… Not to mention, Alcantara and Smith, currently in the Marlin rotation, have higher ceilings then Gallen. Not too high on Lopez but you never know.
Sorry, Gallen looks like a stud. Good luck, Jizz Chisholm. You got some big shoes to fill.
*Jazz was regarded as a top SS prospect not to long ago. He had a rough season for ARI but picked it up for MIA. Lots of people in the Miami organization, as well as across the league think Gallen’s potential ranges from a 2-4 starter. Let’s meet in the middle at 3. Sure Jazz has some big shoes to fill, and he’s more riskier at this point since Gallen has already made it to the show, but Jazz has more upside, and that’s what most people believe.
sorry, typo. that’s embarrassing
To be fair, Gallen is the only one of those names mentioned to have pitched in the majors. Granted, the others may have higher ceilings or projections, but even if it’s only one season in the majors, it was an impressive one.
People can hate if they want but I have really enjoyed watching BVW as a gm. I get the Cano deal was iffy but the bottom line is he was trying to win and he went to acquire the best closer in the game. I like someone who is constantly going for it
But the best poker players fold far more often than they raise
The guy who predicted the Mets would finish last in the NL East must be off his meds. JMHO, but I think the Mets have the best team in that division.
For the Mets, as is does every season, it all comes down to them keeping their guys on the field. And for whatever reason, they historically might have the worst track record in that department in all of MLB. Dunno. Maybe it’s something in the water?.
Each year, one Met after another goes down with some injury. So much so, that when it comes to landing on the IL, the Mets have squatters rights!.
The Mets were really healthy last year, especially compared to the rest of the division. It’s why I think the Mets are a little overrated this year. I just don’t see them maintaining that health two seasons in a row.
That being said, I do think the Mets are still really good. I don’t think you can call them the best team in the division, but they aren’t far off. I have them finishing 2nd behind the Braves, but that’s what makes this division exciting. You can really predict any team to finish first (outside of the Marlins who are better than people think).
I think Kingery should be, and should have always been the everyday 2B since his arrival. It was the one thing that Kap did to madden me on a daily basis.. Scotty will be close to .280/.360/.485 IMO as a 2B near the top of the lineup. I think Segura is going to be moved at some ppint, opening 3B up for Bohm, who is a much more polished hitter than Franco ever was. Franco had sporadic power but never was one to hit for avg/obp. I also think Roman Quinn will have a healthy, breakthrough season- a huge boost to the team if he does.
2B Kingery
SS Gregorious
RF Harper
C Realmuto
1B Hoskins
LF Bruce/Haseley>McCutchen
3B Segura>Bohm
CF Quinn/Haseley
P Nola, Wheeler, Arrieta, Eflin, VV
Phils 93-69 1st in East
Braves 91-71 2nd
Nationals 84-78 3rd
Mets 79-83 4th
Marlins 76-86 5th