The first player of the Mets group of reinforcements makes his return Sunday in Philadelphia. Brandon Nimmo has been on the Injured List since late May and will return as another option in the outfield. The Mets have missed his smile, hustle and versatility while he was on the shelf.
"He could play all three [positions]"
Mickey Callaway discusses how he plans to use Brandon Nimmo when the outfielder returns pic.twitter.com/nzZfCaXF3u
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 31, 2019
Nimmo has not played since May 20 because of a bulging disc in his neck and suffered a couple of setbacks during his rehab. After a breakout season in 2018, he was disappointing to start the season. When he landed on the IL, he was only hitting .200 with a .323 slugging percentage and struck out 48 times in 130 at-bats. The injury played a big role in his slump, but he looks ready to step back into an everyday role upon his return.
Who Gets the Boot?
No one will need to be sent down thanks to the September roster expansion. The Mets also have 39 men on the 40-man roster which means the Mets can activate Nimmo without having to remove someone. If the Mets activate Jed Lowrie before the season ends, they will be forced to make a move. J.D. Davis, Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil have all played well in the outfield but only Conforto is a natural outfielder. This leaves Juan Lagares as the odd man out.
Juan Lagares making it look EASY out here pic.twitter.com/oSIiqlxW4E
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 29, 2019
Lagares has brought back his gold glove defense and has hit better, but cooled off of late. He is 5-for-32 over his last 10 games and will likely lose the most playing time with Nimmo’s return. The Mets will not run Nimmo out there everyday over the last month of the season until they see he is fully healthy. Lagares will likely be relegated to spot starts, much like Rajai Davis.
When to Expect Him in the Starting Lineup
Nimmo should play in either of the next two games, but it is unlikely he plays in both. After Sunday night’s game, the Mets have a quick turn around and play a day game on Monday against the Nationals. Mickey Callaway does not like to over use his players, especially ones returning from injuries. Nimmo will get a large amount of playing time through this home stretch and the Mets need his energy to make a comeback.