Livescore
Tuesday’s Mets lineup was surprising as Brandon Nimmo was moved down to the No. 5 spot.
It’s the first time he’s hit in that place this season and it comes off the heels of the longtime Met going 0-for-4 in back-to-back games entering Tuesday’s contest. So, did it work for Nimmo and the Mets?
Well, sorta.
Nimmo finished 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the first inning to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead over Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt. However, the Mets offense just could not sustain the momentum in their 6-2 loss to Toronto.
“We’re grinding,” Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza said of his team’s struggles. “It’s one of those stretches where we’re not putting much together but still finding ways to get the job done. That wasn’t the case today. Have to give credit to some of the pitchers we faced but it’s part of 162. We got good hitters, good players and we have to be ready to win the series tomorrow.”
Over their last three games, including Tuesday, the Mets have scored just six runs on 13 hits. They did take advantage of their opponent’s mistakes to capture one win in that span but the offense is in a prolonged slump.
Nimmo was asked if there was concern about the way the team’s offense has played lately and while he answered candidly he stayed positive on his team’s outlook.
“Sure, but also we went on a really good streak there and, unfortunately, I got to keep saying this, it’s baseball,” Nimmo explained. “It goes up and down and we won nine games in a row and things were really good and you’re not going to win them all. Sometimes the offense is going to struggle a little bit and you can’t control when that happens throughout the year.
“We would love to be putting up more runs but just not the way it’s going right now. These guys will keep working to try to remedy that.”
Nimmo credited Bassitt’s command and velocity for getting the best of the Mets on Tuesday night, and while he only had one hit, the outfielder was pleased with some of his other at-bats.
“I feel like I’m moving in the right direction,” Nimmo said. “Hit another ball 100 mph off of him [that was out]. I like the direction that I’m moving offensively. You’re never fully there, but I like the direction I’m moving and it’s getting better.”
After a great first half of the season, the post-All-Star break has not been as kind to Nimmo. He hit under .230 in both July and August and so far in September, he’s 5-for-30 (.167).
Mendoza hopes Nimmo can find his offensive groove down in the order, which Nimmo said he’s open to hitting wherever in the lineup.
“I don’t really care where I hit because the game is going to dictate the situation,” Nimmo said. “You never know how the game is going to flow. I’m not too concerned of where I’m hitting, I’ll take the approach the way is coming out and dictating it.”
With the series finale against the Blue Jays set for Wednesday afternoon, we’ll see where Nimmo bats — if he’s in the lineup — as the Mets look for another series win.
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