During the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s clash between the New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix, Brandon Nimmo gave fans and teammates a brief heart-stopping moment in left field. Chasing down a ball in the gap, Nimmo tumbled awkwardly, looking more like a weekend warrior at a Sunday softball game than a big-league outfielder. And then came the telltale signs: a grab at the knee, a grimace, and the unmistakable body language of someone trying to figure out if they just did something serious.
Brandon Nimmo is remaining in the game after appearing to tweak something in his leg while fielding a ball off the wall pic.twitter.com/kScaTArXo3
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025
For Mets fans, this wasn’t just a harmless trip in the outfield. The moment raised red flags because Nimmo had dealt with persistent inflammation in his right knee during spring training—a nagging issue that lingered for weeks, not days. So, seeing him come up limping sparked concern that the same script was being rewritten.
This time, however, it was his left knee. Nimmo was seen massaging the area and trying to shake off the discomfort. Yet in a small mercy for a team that’s already dealt with more than its fair share of injury drama, he stayed in the game and finished it without incident.
“We dodged a bullet,” Nimmo later said in an interview shared by SNY, assuring everyone that he felt fine and expected to play. His easygoing tone offered a bit of relief, like a neighbor waving from the porch after a loud crash in the driveway.
“We dodged a bullet”
Brandon Nimmo says his knee feels good and he will be “good to go to play” pic.twitter.com/BsbNbXU94F
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025
Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza echoed that sentiment, though with a pinch of caution. “I don’t know if the spike got stuck there with the turf, and Nimmo hyperextended the knee there,” Mendoza said after the game. “He was able to manage. He was stable and played through it… As of right now, I’m not too concerned, but let’s see what the doctor says.”
That last part — “let’s see what the doctor says” — feels like a familiar refrain. Mendoza had similar words in spring, and caution often walks hand-in-hand with optimism when it comes to knees.
A Quiet Start at the Plate
While the injury scare seems to have passed, Nimmo hasn’t quite found his stride with the bat this season. He’s currently hitting .211, with seven home runs and 23 RBIs. His wRC+ sits at 88, a shade below league average, signaling that while he’s had his moments, he’s not quite lighting up the stat sheet.
Stability in Spite of Setbacks
Still, there’s value in showing up and pushing through. Nimmo’s ability to stay in the game and remain steady—even with a possible hyperextension—speaks to his resilience. The Mets avoided what could’ve been a tougher break, both literally and figuratively.
Now, it’s all eyes on how that knee responds in the coming days.