Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo suffered a minor sprain in his knee and ankle, general manager Billy Eppler said. Here’s what you need to know:
Nimmo’s status changes week-to-week as the Mets close in on opening day on March 30 against the Marlins.
Nimmo suffered the injury Friday against the Marlins when he slipped into second base while trying to complete a double play. He lay on the ground with obvious pain for a few minutes before limping off the field.
The Mets face more injury woes when closer Edwin Díaz completely tore his patellar tendon during Puerto Rico’s celebrations after beating the Dominican Republic at this week’s World Baseball Classic.
What you say
Nimmo woke up with knee pain in addition to the ankle pain he had on Friday, Eppler said. So Nimmo underwent an MRI on both his right ankle and his right knee. Both showed a slight sprain.
“Good news,” said Eppler. “Everything looks structurally sound. … All in all, you feel good about the results we got compared to what they might have looked like.”
Who might the Mets turn to if Nimmo misses time early in the season?
Nimmo is considered one of the Mets’ most important players due to his all-around midfield value. He is also their leadoff hitter. If Nimmo misses time early in the season, the Mets’ roster for midfield is Mark Canha and Tommy Pham. They could add Tim Locastro to their roster. Locastro, known for his speed, is 12-35 (.343 batting average) with six stolen bases this spring. Starling Marte emerges as another midfield option. However, he has said he would prefer to stay in right field and not switch in the event of a Nimmo injury, saying he still wants to get used to playing in right field. Jeff McNeil’s versatility also helps the Mets in the event of Nimmo’s absence, as McNeil could play a corner in outfield if the Mets opt to move Canha from left field to center. — Sammon
backstory
Nimmo and the Mets agreed to an eight-year, $162 million contract in December. He played a career-high 151 games for the Mets last season, his seventh with the franchise, and finished with a .274 batting average, .433 batting rate and 5.0 WAR.
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(Photo: Rich Schultz/Getty Images)