The New York Mets’ unlucky streak continues in the ramp-up to opening day, this time with Brandon Nimmo going down with an injury. The injury occurred after he slid into second base, indicating that it is a lower body injury, although there is no official word yet. This comes just days after the Mets’ superstar closer Edwin Diaz was knocked out of the 2023 season with a knee injury.
Nimmo is coming off a breakout 2022 season, playing in 151 games and recording a batting average of .274. He became a free agent during the offseason, but chose to re-sign with the Mets. He is expected to be a crucial player in the outfield and at the plate in 2023.
Talkin’ Baseball shared a video of the injury to Twitter.
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The New York Mets have had a tough few days, losing two core players. They undoubtedly have championship aspirations this season, and injuries are the fastest way to derail that. This string of bad luck has gone a long way towards damaging, if not destroying, Mets fans’ confidence.
Diaz’s injury came in the World Baseball Classic, which created a discourse surrounding the veracity of playing in the exhibition tournament. Hopefully for New York, Nimmo’s injury will be more of a short-term issue, unlike Diaz’s. Losing both for the year before opening day would be brutal for any MLB team to overcome.
Considering the New York Mets play in a division with the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves, they need to hit the ground running. Some have pointed to the offense of the Mets as a potential weakness, which has only been exasperated by this injury. There are options available if needed, but the hope is still that a replacement will not be necessary.
Brandon Nimmo was poised for a stellar season in 2023, and that could have all been derailed in spring training.
The ability to overcome injuries could dictate the New York Mets’ success this season
Every championship team has a struggles along the way, and the Mets’ will be their injury issues. Considering the season has yet to even begin, there will likely be more hurdles put ahead of them. Edwin Diaz is one of, if not the, best closers in the sport. Nimmo is one of the more consistent offensive threats the Mets have.
Losing one would be tough to overcome, losing both would be nearly impossible. And yet, true championship teams always manage to find a way.
