Brandon Nimmo still hasn’t completely awoken from his summer siesta, but the signs in recent days suggest at least one eye is open.
If you ask the energetic Mets outfielder, the slump that began in late June and carried into this month was maybe the result of getting drilled in the right hand and developing bad habits in the aftermath.
But another strong possibility is opposing pitchers have figured out Nimmo in a continual game of adjustments.
“I am not going to go into specifics what they are doing, you can kind of see it, but [Nimmo] kind of got worried about how he was getting pitched,” hitting coach Pat Roessler said, referring to pitchers coming up-and-inside to Nimmo.
The last two games have provided a glimpse that Nimmo is maybe again on the rise, in a season of highs and lows for him without much middle ground.
Nimmo’s zenith came on June 18, when a 4-for-6 performance in Colorado that included two homers raised his slash line to .287/.410/.603, putting him in the conversation for selection to the NL All-Star team.
But since that breakout performance in front of family and friends from his native Wyoming, Nimmo has slashed at .211/.341/.327 and more resembled a fourth outfielder than a potential All-Star.
Nimmo says the turning point may have been June 24, when he left a game against the Dodgers after getting drilled near the right pinkie.
“There was a significant difference before I got hit and after I got hit in the hand,” Nimmo said. “I think I developed some bad habits coming back from that and that was unfortunate on my part. But I just think we are trying to get back into good habits and trying to repeat those. I think we are doing a better job of that now, as you can see by results, but I’m trying to become a more consistent hitter.”
Nimmo was a combined 5-for-8 in his last two games and hitting the ball with authority to the opposite field. Three ground balls on Tuesday had exit velocities above 100 mph and two hits the following day topped 105.
And Nimmo finished with three doubles Wednesday to tie a franchise record.
“All three of them were with two strikes and really that is when I am in battle mode,” Nimmo said. “That’s really encouraging, but it’s still a work in progress. Three doubles with two strikes, that is good. That means my shortened-up version of the swing is still powerful, so that is good.
“I don’t want to look too much into two good days, I want to keep it going. I still have a lot to work on. It’s encouraging, but it definitely doesn’t mean the work is finished.”
Over these remaining 50 games, Mets officials will try to determine where the 25-year-old Nimmo fits. Is he closer to the borderline All-Star who was the Mets’ best position player in the first half or is he a situational outfielder best suited for playing three or four days a week?
“For a guy that maximizes every at-bat and locks into every at-bat and pitch he is going to make the most of his ability throughout his career,” Roessler said. “I think there is more in the tank, but you could see the power coming with the hand speed and the strength and he is incorporating his lower half very well this year. He started it at the end of last year and carried it on.”
