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Brandon Nimmo

East Notes: Turner, Familia, Nimmo, Sale, Moreno

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It was a banner day for Trea Turner, as the Nationals shortstop celebrated his 28th birthday and tied a Major League record with his third career cycle.  Turner joins Adrian Beltre, Babe Herman, Bob Meusel, and Long John Reilly as the only players since 1890 with three cycles on their resume, putting Turner in good position to claim sole possession of the record before his career is over.

Unfortunately, the achievement wasn’t without some pain for Turner, as he jammed his left middle finger while sliding into third base for the triple that completed the cycle.  Turner told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com) that his finger was “pretty sore,” and manager Davey Martinez said Turner is day-to-day for the time being.  Turner’s big day (which also included two stolen bases) only continues what has been a big season for the shortstop, who is now hitting .318/.367/.513 with 14 homers, 18 stolen bases, and an even 50 runs and 100 hits over 341 plate appearances.

Some more injury news from around the NL and AL East divisions…

  • Jeurys Familia is expected to be activated off the 10-day injured list this weekend, Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Mike Puma of the New York Post).  A right hip impingement sidelined Familia on June 21, so he’ll miss only slightly more than the 10-day minimum.  Despite an ungainly 14.3% walk rate, Familia has a solid 3.63 ERA/4.31 SIERA over 22 1/3 IP, with a 58.5% grounder rate and a lot of soft contact helping offset his lack of control.
  • Brandon Nimmo could also potentially be back on the Mets roster this weekend.  Nimmo hasn’t played since May 2 due to what was initially called a left index finger contusion, then re-diagnosed as a potential nerve problem, and then as a small ligament tear.  This confusion led to a couple of stops and starts in Nimmo’s rehab, and an initial thought that he would be activated off the IL yesterday was held off since the team wanted him to get a bit more prep work in the minors.  Given all the setbacks, it probably shouldn’t be considered a sure deal for Nimmo until he is actually back at Citi Field, but things look promising for the outfielder.
  • Chris Sale threw live batting practice today at Fenway Park, tossing two simulated innings and reaching the 94-95mph threshold with his fastball, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams and other reporters.  Sale is slated for another live BP session at the team’s Spring Training facility this weekend, and a rehab assignment could be the next step for the left-hander.  Sale underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2020 and has been projected to return by late July or early August, so he certainly seems to be on track with that timetable.  The Red Sox are leading the AL East despite some struggles within the rotation, and those issues could be greatly mitigated by a Sale who is healthy and anywhere close to his past superstar form.
  • The Blue Jays’ injury woes have extended to the minors, as GM Ross Atkins said that star catching prospect Gabriel Moreno suffered a “minor fracture” of his thumb after being hit by a pitch.  Atkins told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and other reporters that Moreno will “most likely” miss several weeks, and surgery hasn’t been ruled out.  Moreno has a whopping .373/.441/.651 slash line and eight homers in 145 PA at Double-A New Hampshire this season, and Baseball America ranks the catcher 32nd on their top-100 prospect list.  While this injury certainly hampers Moreno’s trade value, his development had seemingly made him more of a cornerstone piece for the Jays than a potential trade chip as Toronto approaches the deadline.  Any of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, Reese McGuire, or Riley Adams could be more likely than Moreno to be dealt as the Jays look for upgrades on the trade market.

Mets Notes: Conforto, McNeil, Nimmo, Carrasco, deGrom

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The Mets have been ravaged by injuries this season, but it seems a few of the team’s most important players are making strides in their recoveries. Outfielder Michael Conforto and utilityman Jeff McNeil began rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse this week. Manager Luis Rojas tells reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) McNeil could rejoin the major league club in the next couple days, while Conforto could return to the big leagues next week. Center fielder Brandon Nimmo isn’t far behind those two, as he could embark on a rehab assignment of his own next week, per Rojas (via Tim Healey of Newsday). Fourth outfielder Albert Almora Jr. is expected back this weekend, having completed his own rehab stint with Syracuse, relays Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link).

Conforto and McNeil each went down with hamstring strains on May 16, and both players will apparently return after slightly more than a month on the injured list. Nimmo suffered a left index finger injury in early May that proved more problematic than expected. Originally believed to be dealing with a nerve issue, Nimmo eventually found he’d suffered a ligament tear. Almora has missed just more than a month with a left shoulder contusion.

While the bulk of the Mets recent injury woes has been on the position player side, they’ve also been without key starter Carlos Carrasco all season. The veteran righty went down with a right hamstring strain in mid-March that has proven difficult from which to recover. Carrasco, though, has begun a throwing program off flat ground, per DiComo. There’s still hope he’ll be able to make his team debut at some point next month.

Of course, the Mets most recent injury scare came when NL Cy Young award favorite Jacob deGrom left Wednesday night’s start after three innings because of shoulder soreness. Follow-up testing revealed no issues, and deGrom was able to complete a ten-pitch bullpen session this afternoon, his customary between-starts routine. Rojas said the Mets will take their time in deciding whether deGrom will make his next scheduled start on Monday (via Thosar).

Mets Notes: deGrom, Nimmo, Conforto, McNeil, Carrasco

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Jacob deGrom left yesterday’s game with flexor tendonitis, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). Speaking after the game, deGrom continually stressed that though the concern was near his elbow, it wasn’t something that he was overly concerned about. He plans/hopes to make his next regularly scheduled start. Obviously, a healthy deGrom is crucial for the Mets’ title chances. They have a four-game lead for the division, thanks in large part to deGrom’s 0.56 ERA in 10 starts this season. The Mets have won 70 percent of deGrom’s starts this season versus 53 percent of games in which someone else takes the hill. In other Mets news…

  • Brandon Nimmo has a new understanding of the hand injury that’s kept him out of action since the first couple days of May. Nimmo received a new diagnosis of a small ligament tear near the base of his left index finger. He was thought to be dealing with a nerve issue. Nimmo previously had started a rehab assignment, but stopped it short after continued discomfort. While the diagnostic clarity is helpful, the new information doesn’t change the plan for Nimmo: He will continue to rest until the finger is healed, tweets Dicomo. A rehab assignment,however, could start as soon as next week.
  • Dicomo provides more position player updates: the Mets hope to have Jeff McNeil back next weekend and Michael Conforto the weekend after, per GM Zack Scott. The Mets have done well to stay atop the NL East while a good portion of their starting lineup has been out. McNeil’s flexibility would be particularly useful in covering for the numerous injuries the team has sustained this season.
  • Carlos Carrasco, meanwhile, received a PRP injection, which is why he has not been throwing of late, per Dicomo. Carrasco’s torn right hamstring has not been healing on schedule. Certainly, the Mets expected to get more from Carrasco this season. To have him healthy at the end of the season has to be the priority now, however, so there should be no rush in getting him back to the hill before he is 100 percent healthy. Carrasco isn’t likely to return to the rotation until after the All-Star break, per DiComo.

NL Injury Notes: Voth, Naquin, Molina, Mets

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Nationals pitcher Austin Voth suffered a broken nose after being hit in the face by a Vince Velasquez pitch.  In the third inning of today’s 12-6 Nats loss to the Phillies, Voth squared to bunt but couldn’t avoid Velasquez’s off-target fastball in time.  Voth did walk off the field under his own power, and Washington manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com) that the right-hander would have his nose reset tonight.

Today was Voth’s first official start of the season, though it was intended as something of a glorified opener/piggyback outing since Voth has worked out of the bullpen all season.  After inconsistent results as a starter over his first three seasons, Voth has delivered strong bottom-line results in the form of a 2.73 ERA over 29 2/3 innings in his multi-inning reliever role, though advanced metrics (like a 92.3% strand rate and a .239 BABIP) indicate some good fortune.

Martinez also related the incident to the league’s efforts to crack down on pitchers’ use of foreign substances on the ball, saying that “you’ll see more [hit by pitches] if we keep messing around with the stuff about the balls.  I understand them trying to clean some stuff up.  But it’s hot, it’s slippery, it’s sweaty.  I know Velasquez didn’t throw in there intentionally, but I’m afraid that if we don’t come up with something unified for everybody, you’ll see a lot more of that.  And that’s a scary feeling.”

More injury updates from the Senior Circuit…

  • Tyler Naquin left Sunday’s 8-7 Reds victory over the Cardinals due to left hamstring tightness.  Naquin took something of an awkward slide into second base in the first inning, and was replaced by a pinch-hitter for his next plate appearance in the top of the third.  Naquin has cooled down after a scorching-hot opening month of the season, but the outfielder still has an impressive .257/.333/.509 slash line and 11 homers over 189 plate appearances while emerging as Cincinnati’s everyday center fielder.  Reds manager David Bell told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon and other reporters that the removal was precautionary in nature, and Naquin could be back as early as Tuesday for the Reds’ next game.
  • Yadier Molina left yesterday’s game after taking a foul tip off his kneecap, and the veteran catcher wasn’t in today’s Cardinals lineup.  However, manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that “it looks like a little-bit-of-rest situation” and that Molina might have been able to play today in the event of an emergency.  The Cards have off-days both tomorrow and Thursday, so Molina might not miss much time even if he does need more than a day to recover.
  • There isn’t much new progress with the status of either Brandon Nimmo or J.D. Davis, as neither Mets regular seems close to a return.  As Mets manager Luis Rojas told The New York Daily News’ Deesha Thosar and other reporters, Nimmo is taking swings but not off a tee or against actual pitches, as he continues to recover from a nerve problem in his left index finger.  Davis isn’t swinging whatsoever, as his sprained left hand will be in a splint for the next few days.  Jonathan Villar is battling a tight hamstring and wasn’t in today’s starting lineup, as Rojas said the team is being cautious with Villar after he was able to come off the bench on both Friday and Saturday.

Mets Notes: Carrasco, Yamamoto, Pillar, Nimmo

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Carlos Carrasco is still weeks away at the minimum from returning to make his Mets’ debut, per Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). Jordan Yamamoto, one of the candidates to keep Carrasco’s rotation spot warm, left his start today with right shoulder soreness, per Healey. Today was just Yamamoto’s second appearance of the season and his first start. He took the loss surrendering five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts. The rotation is not the only area of concern for the first-place Mets, however…

  • Kevin Pillar underwent surgery to repair his broken nose on Friday, but he could be ready for baseball activities as early as next week, per Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. Pillar suffered a gruesome injury back on May 17th, taking a direct hit from a Jacob Webb fastball. The Mets centerfield depth chart has been decimated in the early going with Pillar, Brandon Nimmo, and Albert Almora landing on the injured list. Johneshwy Fargas has been the starter in center since Pillar went down, holding his own through 18 plate appearances thanks to three extra-base hits and solid glovework.
  • Nimmo, the opening day starter in center, remains out due to a frustrating finger injury that just won’t go away. “It’s been extremely frustrating, because obviously when it happened I thought this might be a few days,” said Nimmo, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. A rehab assignment was shut down when pain returned, and Nimmo and the Mets continue to wait for the finger to be pain free before sending him out on another assignment.

Mets Notes: Conforto, Nimmo, deGrom

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The Mets had a rough end to their seven-game winning streak in Tampa Bay this weekend. They were handed a sweep by the Rays. They now limp into a high-stakes week of action against the Braves and Marlins facing the potential loss of more key regulars. Michael Conforto, in particular, appears heading to the injured list with a hamstring injury, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Conforto (along with Jeff McNeil) left yesterday’s game due to injury.

Brandon Nimmo, unfortunately, won’t be the answer. The Mets’ injured centerfielder is abandoning his rehab assignment and opting for further rest until he is without pain in his finger, per Tim Healey of Newsday. Nimmo hasn’t appeared in a game since May 2nd.

The Mets could use him now more than ever, especially considering his hot start. Nimmo had raked to the tune of a .318/.430/.439 triple slash line across his first 80 plate appearances. With Albert Almora also on the injured list, the Mets will turn to Jake Hager, Jose Peraza and, perhaps eventually, prospect Khalil Lee to fill in. Super-sub Jonathan Villar is already in a regular role replacing injured regular J.D. Davis at the hot corner.

The good news is that Jacob deGrom could be back in time to start Friday’s ballgame, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com. He may still go on a rehab assignment, however, pending the results of a bullpen session on Tuesday. Friday against the Marlins is the earliest Mets fans will see their all-world ace back on the hill.

Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil Leave Mets’ Game With Injuries

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8:15PM: Conforto and McNeil will both receive MRIs, manager Luis Rojas told Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News and other reporters.  According to Thosar, Rojas’ comments seemed to imply that Conforto’s injury could be of greater concern than McNeil’s problem.  McNeil said his injury was a “carry over” from the cramping issues that recently sidelined him for a couple of games.

12:58PM: Mets outfielder Michael Conforto left this afternoon’s game against the Rays in the top of the first inning after pulling up lame while running to first base, Tim Healey of Newsday was among those to note (Twitter link). Conforto is dealing with right hamstring tightness, the Mets announced (via Mike Puma of the New York Post). Jake Hager replaced him in right field. Additionally, second baseman Jeff McNeil departed in the second inning with left hamstring tightness. McNeil, who was serving as the designated hitter in today’s interleague contest, was replaced at the position by catcher Patrick Mazeika.

It’s too early to know if either player is in danger of missing extended time. If Conforto winds up having to sit out, it’d be an especially difficult blow to a Mets outfield that’s already without Brandon Nimmo and depth option Albert Almora Jr. Nimmo, who has been out since May 3 with a left index finger contusion, was sent for further treatment due to continued pain, manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Healey and Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) this morning.

Hager has almost exclusively worked as an infielder in the minors, making him a more natural potential replacement for McNeil. Utilityman José Peraza has spent some more time on the grass, but he’s also more of an infielder by trade. If Conforto winds up missing time, the Mets could turn to prospect Khalil Lee, who was recently optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after receiving his first big league call earlier in the week. If McNeil has to miss some games, non-roster veteran Brandon Drury could be an option, although he’s off to a poor start in Syracuse and would need to be added to the 40-man roster.

Conforto is hitting .232/.358/.339 over his first 134 plate appearances this season. That marks a downturn in production for the impending free agent, who slashed a robust .274/.376/.499 between 2019-20. McNeil is also having a bit of a down year relative to his past level of production, hitting .242/.336/.374 in 113 trips to the plate.

Mets Place Brandon Nimmo On Injured List

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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.

Mets Place J.D. Davis On 10-Day IL

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MAY 3: The Mets have placed Davis on the 10-day IL (retroactive to May 2) and recalled righty Trevor Hildenberger, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com tweets. Meanwhile, Nimmo is still active, but he’s not in the Mets’ lineup Monday.

MAY 1: The Mets’ 5-4 victory over the Phillies may have been a costly one, as New York saw two lineup regulars leave tonight’s game with injuries.  The Mets announced that Brandon Nimmo suffered a left index finger contusion that forced the outfielder to leave partway through a seventh inning at-bat, while third baseman J.D. Davis was replaced before the bottom of the seventh due to a left hand sprain.

X-rays were negative on Nimmo, which is a positive sign considering that Nimmo looked to be in pain after fouling off a pitch during his at-bat.  It isn’t clear how Davis hurt his hand — he struck out during a sixth-inning plate appearance and then played his position in the bottom of the sixth, seemingly with no issue.  It’s possible this latest problem could be related to Davis’ previous left hand injury, as he was hit by a Chase Anderson pitch on April 7 and ended up spending a 10-day minimum stint on the injured list.

Since returning from that injury, however, Davis has been among the game’s hottest hitters.  Entering tonight’s play, Davis had an outstanding .395/.489/.632 slash line and two homers over 45 plate appearances, with a 208 wRC+ that ranked seventh amongst all players in baseball with at least 40 PA.

Nimmo hasn’t been far behind in terms of productivity, hitting .339/.453/.468 in 76 PA heading into tonight’s game.  Nimmo’s .453 OBP was leading the National League, and ranked fourth overall in baseball (behind only Mike Trout, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Yermin Mercedes) among qualified players.

Davis and Nimmo have represented a major chunk of the Mets’ offense thus far in the season, as apart from Pete Alonso, virtually the entire New York lineup has struggled to begin the season.  The Mets finished April ranked last in the majors in both runs and home runs, as well as 29th in team slugging percentage, 22nd in OPS+, and 20th in wRC+.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: 1/15/21

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The deadline to exchange arbitration figures is today at 1pm ET. As of this morning, there were 125 arbitration-eligible players who’d yet to agree to terms on their contract for the upcoming 2021 season. Arbitration is muddier than ever before thanks to the shortened 2020 schedule, which most believe will lead to record number of arb hearings this winter. Be that as it may, it’s still reasonable to expect dozens of contractual agreements to filter in over the next couple of hours.

We’ll highlight some of the more high-profile cases in separate posts with more in-depth breakdowns, but the majority of today’s dealings will be smaller-scale increases that don’t radically alter a team’s payroll or a player’s trade candidacy. As such, we’ll just run through most of today’s agreements in this post.

I’ve embedded MLBTR’s 2021 Arbitration Tracker in the post (those in the mobile app or viewing on mobile web will want to turn their phones sideways). Our tracker can be sorted by team, by service time and/or by Super Two status, allowing users to check the status on whichever groups of players they like. You can also check out Matt Swartz’s projected arbitration salaries for this year’s class, and we’ll do a quick sentence on each player’s agreement at the bottom of this post as well, with the most recent agreements sitting atop the list.

Today’s Agreements (chronologically, newest to oldest)

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