GRIN & BEAR
Always-smiling Nimmo is trying to keep early slump in perspective
The happiest player on the Mets is suffering from a sad slump.
Brandon Nimmo went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and a walk in Thursday’s 4-0 shutout loss against the Nationals in the Mets home opener at Citi Field.
The outfielder’s most recent scuffle at the plate, in front of the team’s secondlargest Citi Field crowd, put an emphasis on his lethargic start to the season.
Nimmo’s batting average is .087 and he leads the team in strikeouts with 14. He has five walks, one RBI and three runs scored over the Mets first seven games. He enters Saturday with just two hits in 23 at-bats.
The 26-year-old normally wears a huge smile around the Mets clubhouse. Lately, his spirits have been low.
“I’ve been letting the team down, but they’ve been picking me up for most of the games,” Nimmo said.
The Mets are off to a promising 5-2 start. The revamped roster has taken two series, including a sweep over the Marlins, and sports the potential to keep its hot start going with the next four games in Flushing. But the Mets are going to need their leadoff hitter to start hitting soon.
Nimmo said this is the first time in his career he’s suffering through such a long stretch of not being able to put the ball in play. The outfielder is reviewing video from last year with Mets hitting coach Chili Davis. Nimmo was capitalizing on mistakes when he broke out of his struggles in 2018. He wants to get back to recognizing those errors again.
In the meantime, Nimmo is
leaning on teammate Michael Conforto.
“Mike has been kind of my guy for this time,” Nimmo said, glancing at Conforto’s locker as he described how he’s been helping the leadoff hitter stay relaxed.
Nimmo said he’s learning to keep a prolonged perspective on his slump. The competitor in Nimmo wants to turn around his season with the snap of a finger and until he does, he’ll continue working. That sometimes leads to Nimmo digging himself into a deeper hole.
To avoid feeling burnt out at the plate, Nimmo is trying to find a balance by understanding that the Mets are only seven games into a young season.
Conforto said a positive from Nimmo is that the outfielder is staying in the zone. Much like last season, Nimmo’s discipline at the plate leads to bumping up his onbase percentage. He led the team in OBP (.404) and batting average (.263) among everyday players in 2018.
“We’re in the third series of the year,” Conforto said. “It takes some time to get your feet wet every once in a while. I’ve seen Nimmo go through stretches like this and come out the other side. And no one can get him out. I’m not worried about Nimmo. He’s going to be just fine. He understands how to work himself into the right space.”
Manager Mickey Callaway offered that pitchers are attacking the plate up-and-in against Nimmo. The Mets skipper said Nimmo is not recognizing those pitches and spoiling them as well as he normally would.
One of Nimmo’s strengths is fouling off pitches that land up-and-in. By doing so, he forces the pitcher to make a mistake. Nimmo admitted one of his largest concerns amid his 2-for-23 slump is failing to recognize those mistakes.
“You go through ups and downs, he’s in a little bit of a down cycle right now. But he’ll come out of it and be just fine,” Callaway said.
Nimmo was feeling under the weather during Thursday’s 0-for-3 performance. Falling ill paired with a strong desire to progress is, for Nimmo, two steps forward and one step back.
“Traveling hot and cold, it hasn’t been helping,” Nimmo said. “I’m eager to get some rest and get over it.”
TODAY’S MATCHUP
Steven Matz (0-0, 1.69)
vs. Patrick Corbin (3.00).
Corbin makes his second start for Washington — both against the Mets. Corbin, from the Syracuse area, allowed two runs over six innings in a no-decision Sunday.
Matz was moved up a day to pitch Saturday because the team wanted to split up Matz and fellow left-hander Jason Vargas in the rotation, Callaway said. RHP Zack Wheeler will now start Sunday in between them. Matz is 1-5 with a 3.93 ERA in 10 starts against Washington, including 0-4 at home.