Brandon Nimmo’s had a bit of a rough start this season — but he played a key role in helping the Mets secure their four-game series sweep over the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.
His first big moment came with the glove.
With the Mets leading by two in the sixth, St. Louis outfielder Jordan Walker stepped to the plate and crushed a deep fly to left. Nimmo ranged back and made a leaping catch in front of the fence to rob him of a solo homer.
“I thought maybe I had a shot, I just needed to time it up right,” Nimmo said.
“It was huge for us,” manager Carlos Mendoza added. “I think that ball was gonna be out, I didn’t see the replay but it’s just another good defensive play this year — that’s what it’s going to take. Really, really huge play from him there.”
Nimmo then came through again in the later innings — this time with the bat.
After the Cardinals rallied to even things up on a Thomas Saggese double in the top of the seventh, the Mets were threatening to answer right back as Francisco Lindor roped a single and Juan Soto drew a five-pitch walk.
Pete Alonso was unable to come through for what felt like the first time all season, but Nimmo picked him up.
The sweet-swinging left-hander has been aggressive early in the count to this point in the year — but with Cardinals reliever Phil Maton pounding the zone with heat, he waited for a breaking ball to pounce.
Nimmo took two cutters right down the middle before lining a 1-2 curveball back through the box and into center for a go-ahead run scoring single.
BRANDON NIMMO COMES THROUGH!
THE METS TAKE THE LEAD BACK! pic.twitter.com/KSImUcI1ag
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 20, 2025
“He always has a good plan, more times than not he’s going to execute,” Mendoza said.
“Those are big moments and you’re always playing a cat and mouse game,” Nimmo added. “He got ahead quickly and that was good for him, but you just try and never give up on an at-bat and know that you’re just one swing away and try and find the barrel.”
It certainly was a much-needed big hit for Nimmo, who has struggled with RISP to this point.
Mainly batting in the cleanup spot behind Lindor, Soto and Alonso, he’s driven in just 10 runs thus far with four homers and three doubles — but, he’s been here before and knows he’s just one swing away.
“It’s no secret I’ve been struggling, but that’s baseball,” Nimmo said. “I saw some video from April of last year against the Cardinals and I was hitting like .200 with two homers and 15 ribeyes at the end of April — it’s not the first or the last time that I’ll be struggling.
“You’re just trying to find ways that you can try and help. You never give up, you always go up there with confidence knowing that this next at-bat things can change for you — you go up there with that mentality and just try and help the team win however you can.”
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