The Mets are placing outfielder Brandon Nimmo on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to May 3 (via Tim Britton of the Athletic). Catcher Patrick Mazeika has been recalled in a corresponding move.
Nimmo left last Saturday’s game against the Phillies with a left index finger contusion. He came in as a defensive replacement on Sunday but hasn’t hit since suffering the injury. After Nimmo missed another couple games’ worth of action, the Mets have elected to place him on the IL and free up a spot on the active roster.
Even a brief absence from Nimmo is a tough blow to a Mets’ offense that had hit an underwhelming .240/.324/.364 entering play today. The 28-year-old has been stellar in the early going, raking at a .318/.430/.439 clip over his first 80 plate appearances. Nimmo has long been excellent at avoiding outs, but he looks to have taken his game to another level in 2021. Among qualified hitters, only Mike Trout, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bryce Harper have reached base at a better clip. Nimmo certainly won’t sustain a .465 batting average on balls in play, but he’s chasing fewer pitches than ever and should continue to draw plenty of walks when he returns.
With Nimmo out, the Mets figure to turn to Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. in center. Neither of those offseason signees has contributed much offensively this season after generally struggling at the dish in recent years.
1st Question: How many more years does Nimmo have left on his deal
2nd Question: Who and what will he sign for?
Cubs for 4 year, 14mil
I don’t think 4 Years, probaly 2 yr, 6 mil.
Eligible for free agency after the 2022 season. He’s making $4.7 million in 2021. Not a CF, but his OPS an d WAR suggests he’ll be paid well if he stays healthy.
You’re all nuts.. he may not get a mega-deal but he’s getting at least 10-20 million plus per… Y’all nuts
I agree that the Mets should sign Nimmo for 8 years and $160 million.
Ha!! The only teams he might give a hometown discount would be the Mets and the Rockies since his family lives about an hour or so away from Denver in Wyoming.
It’s old, but the comp is Jason Heyward.
Make of that what you will.
Jason Heyward can field his position and run the bases properly.
Nimmo is a fine corner OF, being played out of position in center.
Much like Heyward was at times.
Heyward is GG caliber at the corners. Nimmo is not.
Nimmo also hits a lot better.
Nimmo is a better hitter.
@Cosmo2
You mean that .262 career average from Nimmo and .260 average from Heyward makes up for defense and baserunning?
Or are you about to contradict what you said in that other post about batting average? (26% to 26%)
@MetsFan22 See above for Nimmo…
BTW…95 to 103 wins.
Better than the Dodgers!
Marlins: C’mon, you’re more intelligent than this…. yes, a higher batting average is better than a lower one, but even you, in your neanderthalic understanding of baseball offense must understand that it is not the only stat by which we judge offense… try this: Heyward OPS+ 104… Nimmo 131… can you grasp that or do you want to search for more “contradictions”? Nimmo is a better hitter than Heyward, just to break it down for you.
Nimmo is a career 134 wRC+ hitter. Heyward is a 107. Don’t bring batting average to a stat fight. You are going to lose.
@Cosmo2 See, now you’re reaching, which is what many of you with analytics do when your flaws are pointed out. But okay, I’ll play devil’s advocate..
Does the supposed differential in hitting make up for the differential in both defense and baserunning?
@Steve Nebraska
Before you get involved, know the history here with me and @Cosmo2. He said something else in a different post that I called out related to batting average.
He and I know this.
Again, know the history here before commenting.
Yes. Through Nimmo’s first 400 games, he is a ~10 WAR player. Through Heyward’s first 400 games he was a 10.4 WAR player. They are very similar in value.
You don’t get to gate keep the comment section, jackass.
So the dodgers could be 17-15 after today. Should I also take my prediction of them winning100+ games out too??
@Steve Nebraska
So, even with your WAR add, that shows that the supposed Nimmo better hitting does not make up for the other aspects of the advanced stats because he’s still .4 behind there.
Guess what? Eye ball test don’t favor Nimmo either.
@MetsFan22
Better than the Dodgers!
95 to 103 wins in a division that is looking like a free for all.
Oh for goodness sake, there is no previous history necessary, you called me out on nothing. I agree that a higher batting average is better than a lower one, what could possibly be your point? Nimmo is a better hitter than Heyward, don’t jump on folks providing evidence for that fact just cuz it goes over your head.
@Cosmo2
Yes, previous knowledge of the situation is needed. And I’m glad that you are stating here now that you agree that a higher batting average is better than a lower batting average.
So, now by you agreeing a higher batting average is better than a lower one, who is the better hitter between a guy that has a .277 career batting average and a guy who has a .262 career batting average? (27.7% vs 26.2% chance of getting a hit)
I agree that Willians Austudillo is a much better hitter than Joey Gallo. I mean, just look at those batting averages!!!
Marlins: You’re nuts. I’ve never suggested that a higher batting average wasn’t better. I’m just saying batting average isn’t the ONLY stat one should evaluate a player upon. It’s very difficult having a rational conversation when you put forth such absurd fallacies. Seriously. I’m sorry but it just seems like this whole conversation is going over your head sometimes.
@Coismo2
We’ve had debates about what constitutes a better hitter. My emphasis is that a better hitter is a person that is better at hitting his way onto base. That is measured by batting average because that is the stat that measures a player’s success rate at hitting his way onto base.
I think the problem isn’t about me having things over my head. I feel it’s that those that dismiss batting average in discussions about hitters, is that you’re definition of what constitutes good hitting is off. A guy that his mainly skilled at walking his way onto base while not being very successful at hitting his way on (as measured in batting average), is a good On-Base guy, but not a good hitter and not a better hitter than anyone that has a better batting average.
Also, in my book and my experiences, it’s much easier to neutralize a guy that has a high OBP, but low batting average than it is to neutralize a guy with a low OBP with a higher batting average. All a pitcher has to do is throw strikes and get the hitter with the low batting average to swing. You can’t do that so much with a guy with the higher batting average because he’ll hit strikes successfully., so you have to get him to chase and hope that he does.
It just that your characterization of me and others is that we don’t understand the value of batting average but we do. The things you post make it seem that you, I’m sorry, have no understanding of offense beyond old school nonsense. OBP is a better overall statistic. What’s more valuable, a .295 avg, .330 OBP guy, or a .240, .365 guy? This is a legit question. Again, your posts seem to imply that such subtleties escape you.
@Cosmo2
The thing is, I look at batting average because I know a guy with a lower batting average is easier to neutralize than a guy that can hit. It’s all about pitchers throwing strikes…which is what good pitchers do and what good teams have.
Of the two hitters you mention, for a team entering the postseason or if I have a championship contender, I want the guy with the higher batting average because, when you get to the postseason, most of the top teams that are there, have pitchers that throw strikes. They’re not going to walk many batters, therefore, you need hitters that can come through with a hit. In big games, you need a hitter that can hit because top teams don’t have many pitchers that aren’t pounding the strikezone. Just look at deGrom. You think a guy has a chance to get a walk on him? No. He’s throwing strikes like the pitchers on all the top teams do. That .240 hitter with the high OBP isn’t going to get a walk against those pitchers or top teams. And when those teams have pitchers that struggle with the strikezone, those pitchers aren’t in the big games very long – so again, those OBP guys with low batting average have no value against those teams.
That’s what I’m looking at. Maybe you can pad your wins during the regular season with what is essentially a smoke-and-mirrors method, but come big games, those hitters with the low batting average and the teams that overly depend on them, get exposed.
@Cosmo2
Also, if you notice, a lot of your fellow analytics brethren do state that batting average has no value and have argued with me many times about it.
Anyone who argues that batting average “has no value” has their head up their arse. All stats should be cooked into a soup, so to speak. BA just isn’t as important as we used to think (although in some ways it is, cuz you can’t drive in a run w a walk unless…) but we now know that OBP is just so much more important in general…..
@MarlinsFanBase Maybe, but you still need guys with a good wRC+, wOBA, or even OPS(+) much more than you need guys with a good batting average or even OBP. You see, there’s this thing called extra-base hits, and even guys with a poor batting average are at least somewhat valuable if they can hit for power and even more so if they can also draw walks.
Batting average? Come on man. Nimmos OPS is almost .100 points higher. Your Nimmo hate is comical at this point. It didn’t make sense two years ago, it doesn’t make sense now. It’s so odd to take a good player and try to die on a hill saying he’s bad.
If it was so easy to neutralize high walk guys with low batting averages and harder to neutralize high batting averages, then why do batting averages have such high fluctuations year to year, but BB percentage seem to be more repeatable?
It seems your definition of a good hitter is massively flawed if it only pays attention to hitting your way on base. There is so much more to hitting than that one variable. So if you want to define hitting in a way that necessitates batting average be the only stat to measure that is fine. But you are using a definition that no one else is using or cares about.
Get in a batter’s box and tell me I’m wrong.
Nimmo I think could be a 4-6 year signing and maybe 10-15 a year. I could see maybe 4/60, 5/72, 6/80 type signing for him. He is a decent outfielder (maybe not a cf but he isn’t terrible). He gets on base which is what baseball is all about. He has sneaky power. Can steal a base or two. And he is a happy m.f. And makes the players around him happy. I may be biased (hence my name) but he is an extremely undervalued player and should make a good penny in free agency. Hopefully staying with the Mets.
The Mets have scored just 77 runs in 24 games. They have also surrendered 21 unearned runs, with the two most recent being the result of Lindor’s error in tonight’s first game. Nothing puts pressure on a pitching staff like shaky defense. In the Mets’ case, it also puts pressure on an anemic offense.
One more note: In 90 career at-bats against the Mets, Paul DeJong has 11 doubles and 10 home runs. His .822 slugging percentage is the career record for Mets opponents.
Dodgers 12 losses in 16 games… don’t judge the Mets for being 1 game under 500 without lugo carrasco syndergard Nimmo and Davis. While also dealing with missing games to start the year.
Ahhh, here come the excuses from @MetsFan22!
You never let down!
Hmmmm. Can I make excuses about the Marlins injuries, bad umpiring, and other stuff too or is it only acceptable for the Mets?
It must be tough to always make stupid predictions that you then need to find excuses for when you’re not seeing anything close to what you said.
I understand. A lot of other teams have felt with injuries. It’s not just the Mets. Marlins Braves and Nats too. Phillies starting to too. I just included that statement bc the Mets have played 25 games. You can’t usher how they’ll do when the the Braves are playing just as bad and the dodgers have gone 12-16 could be 12-17 in their last 29 games…
Cody Bellinger has played in four games. His being out is a bigger deal than all those Mets injuries combined. Dustin May would be the Mets #2 starter.
Over the last four years, the Dodgers have gone 102-60 per 162 games; the Mets have gone 77-85. That’s 25 games better per season. The Dodgers have improved their roster from last year. The Mets have not (still the worst defense in the game). The Dodgers will win 20-plus more games than the Mets. Huge difference in talent. The Dodgers have a better lineup, better defense, better pitching, and are an established winner. They have three position players who are better than the best Mets position player. Maybe even five depending on how you feel about Lindor (who was also bad in 2020’s second half). Mets versus Dodgers. Take a logical guess on how it turns out by season’s end.
Dustin may would not be our 2…… the dodgers just lost another game. Good luck tomorrow. Soon lol
Gingerguard isn’t better than Cookie, and doesn’t have the track record to be better than Thor. Potential? Yes…we’ll see what he does in 2023-24.
I think you have to stretch a lot to think that they’re better than 2 or 3 games over .500 without the injuries. While it would undoubtedly make a difference having Carrasco and Syndergaard starting over Peterson and Lucchesi, that doesn’t change the fact that they have an offense that is underperforming (or maybe is just coming down to earth, in the case of guys like Smith) and a putrid defense. Nimmo and especially Davis are big parts of the problem on defense.
Maybe but I still don’t think anyone could make assumptions on how the Mets will do based on 25 games where everything went wrong for the Mets and they are still a win tomorrow from being 500
Healthy or not, get used to what you’re seeing because, with 76 games against division rivals, it isn’t likely that any NL East team will be able to dominate the others enough to post high numbers of wins. This is going to be a dogfight, and even as/if any team falls out at any points, those teams will go into spoiler mode, which is just as bad or worse when trying to accumulate wins.
In my opinion, it’s looking like it’s going to be division or bust, and a hard time to even get 90 wins.
Yet you making assumptions about the Dodgers and Braves, proven winners to the Mets being proven losers. Worst defense in MLB, overrated offense, pitching not sustainable based on the talent. They also have a meddlesome rookie owner who thinks like a Metsmerized poster. The Mets are in a heap of trouble. There is nothing that suggests they have repaired their losing culture.
No wildcard from that division.
@Cey Hey
Agreed. And my team is in the division. @MetsFan22 does not see what’s at play here. None of these NL East teams are lying down for each other. With 76 divisional games, even the division winner may not reach 90 wins. It’s going to be a dogfight, unless there are multiple big injuries that hurt at least 2 teams significantly.
The good thing (or bad) about the NL east is every team is underperforming. There’s no way the Mets won’t start hitting. I’d be pretty surprised if the braves starters are this terrible all year, The Nationals have shown that they can get on a streak and keep winning. The Phillies relief core will get Better, losing Bradley is a big blow. The Marlins have an up and coming core of exciting young players that could carry the team. I could see anyone winning the division.
Again…..
While I liked the Phillies going in, it seems that the team that will win the NL East will be the one with the least worst bullpen. For now the Marlins seem to have found a real closer….but….it’s a long season.
P.S. The Marlins are the team that has the potential of higher ceilings from their players, as so many are young. With the other teams we pretty much know what to expect from their players.
Well the Mets bullpen has performed the best in the that division so I hope you’re right.
I agree that it will be a dog fight. I just don’t think the marlins will be in the fight…..
Wait, now you’re adding Nimmo on to the list of players they’ve been without? He played in 22 of their 25 games.
He was hurt like 7 of those games.
MAZEIKA DEBUT
Almora finally got to start a game today ..0-3 with two punch outs…he’s at .077 on the year…. perhaps his last…
Last game? We can only hope
He isn’t hitting great but I don’t think the Mets are being fair to him. Every other Met bench piece is getting a lot more at bats than him. It’s hard to sit for 2 weeks and than pick up a bag. His defense has been great.
MetsFan22….Excellent reply…Almora has had a very tough MLB experience..he was very good for the Cubs early on.. leading the NL in hitting at one point…then Albert got what I refer to as Maddonized..Joe started pulling him out of lineups for no particular reason..Albert would go say 3-4, then 2-3, then maddon would bench him for a week…the kid cooled off on the bench…so Almora has experienced exactly what you commented on.. I wish he could get a chance and then respond with the bat..Albert is a great outfielder.. the bench sucks.
Yeah
Like Pillar stated, he himself needed regular playing time to get into rhythm. He’s used to playing every day.
Almora looked great in Spring Training. Then again, so did Lindor.
Yep…we an imagine a guy works hard all winter to get in shape, then gets lots of playing time during Spring training…only to get benched for the regular season… It’s gotta wear on a person ..
Honest question about Nimmo’s injury: he’s got a left index finger contusion, so basically a deep bruise. He throws right handed so it wouldn’t affect him there. And I would think he could grip the bat OK without his index finger… or am I wrong? Is it maybe bothering him when he catches the ball in that part of his mitt? Just wondering and speculating.
In regard to Nimmo’s finger:
Top hand index finger: geez, take an oversized batting Glove (or one of those stupid sliding oven mitts) wrap the beegeezus out of the index finger, put a hard rubber pad over the finger of the glove like they do for the thumb and memory type foam inside the glove and go get it!
Not to mention, spray that numbing agent on it and play. Whatever happened to that stuff?
Whatever happened to wrapping up a finger, use a rubber pad or sleeve and get back out there? I don’t get missing 10-14 games for all these little owies.
Yes, bone bruises hurt. If he got that from a swing, he has been doing something wrong (grip wise) or maybe compensating for his hip?
At least Pillar has heated up with more playing time. But losing Nimmo, Davis, deGrom (2 skipped starts) and having an ICE cold Lindor is rough. We caught a big break with the rain out but only split the double header.
Side note, watched both games, which was day 1 of the new hitting coaches’ tenure. I threw up a little when, in the 6th inning, Quattlewhatever pulled out a binder with about 6 pages in it and stared at that instead of watching the Cards pitcher warm up. I just can’t imagine proven major league hitters are going to listen to a guy who quit after failing 4 years in A ball. Oh, and his former team was no hit THE SAME DAY…
It was a knee jerk reaction to fire Davis.