The Mets cannot afford to be complacent. Just ask Brandon Nimmo.
With the playoffs right around the corner, the New York Mets could not have picked a better time to step up their play. Having gone 36-22 since the All-Star break, the Mets have overtaken the Atlanta Braves for the third and final wild card spot in the NL with only nine games remaining in the season. While the Mets will be overjoyed to be in this position after playing catch-up nearly all season long, they cannot afford to be complacent. Just ask Brandon Nimmo.
With the Mets only holding a two-game cushion over the Braves, every game is of utmost importance. The games are so crucial that Nimmo revealed that he couldn’t help but keep a close eye on what’s happening to their closest playoff competitor. But in the end, the left fielder emphasized that he is focusing on what he can control instead of letting external forces get to his head.
“There is a part of you that after the game that’s checking to see, ‘Okay, who won?’ Or before the game when they played, ‘Okay, they won. We got to go out there.’ It happens, I’m not going to lie to you and say that it doesn’t,” Nimmo told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports following their 6-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday. “It happens. They’re right up there. Just being connected nowadays, it’s easy to keep track.”
“But first and foremost, we have to take care of our business first.”
“It happens, I’m not going to lie to you and say that it doesn’t. But first and foremost, we have to take care of our business first.” Brandon Nimmo talks with @Ken_Rosenthal about scoreboard watching, Luisangel Acuña, and more after the Mets 16th win in their last 20 games
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Taking care of business has indeed been the M.O. of the Mets in the second half of the season. Their offense has come alive to supplement their pitching that has allowed the second-fewest runs per game since the All-Star break, only trailing the surging Detroit Tigers.
Brandon Nimmo has typified the Mets’ mindset to keep on pushing until they reach their ultimate goal.
“We have a mantra. We’re just trying to press on that dam until it finally breaks. We’ve been able to do that in the last three games, just keep the lineup going and not give any at-bats away no matter how many runs we’re up,” Nimmo added.
Mets’ offense reaches historic levels despite Francisco Lindor’s absence
When Francisco Lindor went down with an injury earlier in the month, there were plenty of question marks as to who would assume his place as the Mets’ everyday shortstop. Lindor has been playing exceptional baseball since the All-Star break as well, hitting 14 home runs and driving in 34 runs with an OPS of .928.
The Mets decided to call upon Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. (who plays for the Braves, their closest playoff competitor), and Acuna has done nothing but rake since reaching the big leagues. Brandon Nimmo acknowledged that Acuna’s efforts, as well as the team’s collective emergence, has been more than enough in covering for Lindor’s absence.
“You cannot replace Francisco Lindor. He is an unbelievable player, an unbelievable leader. But we do have a good team here. And even though he is not out there on the field, we have people who can help around and kind of fill those spots. Not one person is trying to do too much. Just be their selves. And we know that will be good enough at the end of the day,” Nimmo said.
