Brandon Nimmo heading for MRI after injuring quad
Brandon Nimmo of the Mets walks off the field with manager Buck Showalter #after being injuried on a play in the first inning against the Brewers during a game at American Family Field on Wednesday in Milwaukee. Credit: Getty Images/Patrick McDermott
MILWAUKEE — Brandon Nimmo is the next Met headed for an MRI tube.
He’ll undergo a round of medical imaging Thursday after his tight left quad forced him out in the first inning of the Mets’ 6-0 loss to the Brewers on Wednesday.
After initially feeling his leg tighten up on his slide while stealing second base in the top of the first, Nimmo continued to be wary when he chased a fly ball in the bottom of the first. But he believes he avoided a major issue.
“This one day was not worth what could be weeks if I was to end up doing something worse,” he said. “I called them over and came out of the game because we felt like this could be a just-a-few-days kind of thing rather than weeks. That was the biggest concern for me. I know if I catch things early that I heal really fast.
“I felt more than just a stretch. It was like, ‘Uh, that’s not great. I need to pay attention to that.’ As I was running in and out between innings, I paid attention to that. As I went toward that last ball, I paid attention to it and said, ‘I’m more of a liability out here right now. I can be better for the team over these next few weeks healthy rather than trying to push it right here.’”
Nimmo, a free agent after the season, has played in a career-high 142 games this year.
McNeil banged up
Jeff McNeil said he was “good” but declined to comment further after taking a beating in leftfield, participating in at least three awkward plays.
Following a second-inning catch in left-centerfield, completed with a late slide, he limped in the Mets’ dugout. Then he tumbled and dug up some chunks of grass when he ran in on a third-inning pop-up that third baseman Eduardo Escobar caught. And on Mike Brosseau’s grand slam to left in the ninth, McNeil scaled in the way in an attempt to make a catch, hung onto the top of the wall for a moment, then fell to the ground and was slow to get up.
“I think he’s fine,” manager Buck Showalter said. “He’s a good leftfielder.”
Marte slow play
Starling Marte (fractured right middle finger) still has not swung a bat or thrown a baseball, but is aiming now to do so Friday when the Mets open a series against the Athletics, he said.
His finger nonetheless has been improving, even if it hasn’t improved enough. He said he has a chance of playing in the Atlanta series next weekend.
“There’s still pain there, but I’m feeling a lot better,” he said through an interpreter.
Minors details
The Low-A St. Lucie Mets won the Florida State League championship Tuesday night, led by standout performances in the decisive game by a couple of recent draft picks: first-rounder Kevin Parada (3-for-4, two RBIs, one run) and second-rounder Blade Tidwell (five shutout innings).
“It’s a big night for [manager Robbie Robinson] and them. Pretty cool. It’s all relevant,” Showalter said.
What is the significance of winning in the minors?
“It’s funny. People, when they don’t win in the minor leagues, they say they’re developing players,” Showalter said. “If they win, they say it’s part of the developing.”
He added, of his experience as a minor-league manager for the Yankees in the 1980s: “I know Mr. [George] Steinbrenner, when we left camp every year, the six or seven managers, we had two jobs: Develop players and win, not necessarily in that order.”
Time for fun
The Mets had a dress-up theme for their Wednesday night trip to Oakland, with many of the less experienced players (plus support staffers) donning tiger-print t-shirts and short shorts. Pete Alonso got in costume as convicted felon Joe Exotic of “Tiger King” fame, complete with a blond wig and real handlebar mustache.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
