Nimmo right at homer in spring
PORT ST. LUCIE — Brandon Nimmo learned last season that he can’t give away any at-bats when fighting for playing time. Now that the outfielder is battling for starts that will be available as Michael Conforto rehabs his shoulder, it’s paying off.
Nimmo smoked a solo home run off Mike Fiers on Monday in the Mets’ 4-2 win over the Tigers at First Data Field.
Nimmo is hitting .389 with two home runs, a double, a triple and five RBI in seven games this spring.
“He’s put some good swings on some balls. He’s a patient hitter, he’s always been that. Now, it looks like he is attacking that pitch when he gets it too,” firstyear Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “So pitchers know he’s going to be patient, if they groove one, now he’s going to attack it. A dangerous combinations. He’s looking good.”
Nimmo is battling with Juan Lagares to see who will get the majority of the playing time as Conforto — who is not expected back until May 1 — rehabs after surgery to repair a torn capsule in his left shoulder.
Conforto is expecting to graduate from hitting balls flipped to him, or soft toss, to hitting balls that are thrown overhand. The outfielder will take those monitored swings in the cage on Tuesday.
“I think they made it pretty clear that it’s an open competition, nobody has a spot here, especially with the new staff,” Nimmo said. “They are getting first eyes on us, it’s definitely how I came into spring that I am competing for a position. It’s healthy competition. It is competing.
“I don’t think I have guaranteed spot at all. My results do matter to me. Even from a personal standpoint, it really hard to take an at-bat off. I just program myself to not give an at-bat awa and trying to get better in every at-bat.”
Even more impressive is that Nimmo has been getting a lot of his at-bats in the leadoff spot this spring. The Mets do not have a natural leadoff hitter and it’s a place that Nimmo can also make his case.
“Just trying to take the same approach into the game. I think part of the reason that they think that I can be a leadoff hitter is because of my approach,” Nimmo said. “I am not trying to do anything differently. Keeping that approach. Find a good pitch to hit, been able to do that a few times this spring.”
Lagares missed the first week with a hamstring injury, so Callaway is holding off on making a plan on how to platoon them.
Jacob deGrom is scheduled to pitch a simulated game on Tuesday, Callaway confirmed. The righthander has been pushed back this spring because of lower back tightness, which he suffered after missing three days for the birth of his daughter.
The setback has made deGrom doubtful to be ready for Opening Day.
ROSARIO ReADY?
Amed Rosario was out for base-running drills early Monday, but did not run. The shortstop was pulled from Saturday’s game with a “tight left knee,” but Callaway said he expects him in the lineup Tuesday . ... Anthony Swarzak threw a modified bullpen Monday. The righty has been off the mound since Feb. 27 because of a strained left calf. Swarzak threw 20 pitches off the slope of the mound and said he felt “very good,” after.