Veteran outfielder Brandon Nimmo is among the New York Mets’ unsung heroes, contributing steady defense and on-base ability in his second postseason with the team.
The nine-year big league veteran hit 23 home runs, drove in 90 runs, and hit .224 with a .727 OPS (107 OPS+) in the regular season. According to a new report by The Athletic, he did it all while playing through plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Tim Britton reported after the Mets’ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series that Nimmo has been dealing with the injury since May.
“Right now it hurts pretty good,” Nimmo told Britton after going 0-for-3 in Sunday’s game. “The second-to-last game against Philadelphia, I did something on the field and made it quite a bit worse. … When it gets inflamed and flares up, it’s a harder thing to calm down.”
The Mets gave Nimmo the ninth inning off, but he will be back in the lineup for Game 2 of the series Monday. The Dodgers lead the best-of-seven series 1-0.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 06: Francisco Lindor #12 of the New York Mets celebrates with Brandon Nimmo #9 after a home run by Mark Vientos #27 during the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 2 of the Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Nimmo is dealing with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
Heather Barry/Getty Images
A first-round pick by the Mets in 2011, Nimmo has spent his entire nine-year career in New York. He’s quietly put together a career .809 OPS (126 OPS+), largely on the strength of his patient eye at the plate and a propensity for being hit by pitches.
But he’s found his power stroke recent years, averaging 21 homers from 2022-24 while playing no fewer than 151 games a season.
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Nimmo, 31, also set a career-high in stolen bases this year — 15 in 15 tries — a remarkable accomplishment considering he was playing through injury. have five outfielders on their roster for the NLCS: Nimmo, Starling Marte, Jesse Winker, Tyrone Taylor and Harrison Bader.
Taylor and Bader are plus defenders with speed, the most logical replacements in case Nimmo misses time during the series. But neither can make up for his production at the plate.
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That’s of particular concern against a Dodgers pitching staff that has not allowed a run in 32 consecutive innings, which ties the all-time postseason record set by the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.
Nimmo told Britton he believes he aggravated the injury in the sixth inning of Game 3 last Tuesday, either while faking down the third-base line to distract Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering, or when scoring on Marte’s two-run single.
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