Mets manager Carlos Mendoza reveals real reason behind Brandon Nimmo’s early exit

New York Mets slugger Brandon Nimmo has seemingly rediscovered his hitting form since manager Carlos Mendoza moved him up to the No. 2 spot. Nimmo was hot at the plate in the Mets' 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

Brandon Nimmo went deep against the Rockies starter with a two-run home run in the fourth inning of the game. It was his ninth home run of the season as Nimmo went 2-for-4 on Saturday.

However, Nimmo didn't last the nine innings as he exited the game with a reported calf injury in the seventh. While his early exit worried fans, manager Carlos Mendoza revealed it was just a cramp and they didn't want to risk anything with the team leading 8-2.

"Yeah, he was just cramping up his right leg. At that point, it was like, 'Let's not risk it,'" Mendoza clarified after the game.

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Brandon Nimmo's two-run home run was followed by Juan Soto's solo homer as the Mets went back-to-back to punish the Rockies' pitching. It was Soto's first home run after 17 games.

"Unbelievable. Francisco and I were doing our picture down there and heard the sound of the bat and the crowd going wild and we looked out and were able to see him go the other way," Nimmo said about Soto's home run.

"That’s when he’s at his best and just signs of good things to come, I think. The weather is starting to heat up and we’re flipping the script into June, this field will start to play a little more fair and I think it’s just a sign of good things to come. Great to go back-to-back with him."

Brandon Nimmo shrugs off injury concerns after Mets win

The seasoned slugger dismissed concerns over his fitness after his early exit from the second game of the series. Brandon Nimmo said it was just a "precautionary" measure, echoing his manager's sentiments.

"Just a little calf cramp. More precautionary than anything," Nimmo said. "I told them, 'Hey, I’m just gonna knock it down a little bit,’ and they were like, 'It’s not even worth it, we’re up by a good amount, let’s just go ahead and play it safe.' So not worried about it at all and I’ll be available tomorrow."

The Mets have already clinched the series with consecutive wins and will aim for a sweep against the hapless Rockies with a win on Sunday.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash