PORT ST. LUCIE — Brandon Nimmo is taking the slow-and-steady-wins-the-race method to his spring coaching buildup.
After abstaining from working for many of the offseason to permit his left foot an opportunity to heal from plantar fasciitis, the Mets outfielder stated Friday that he’s working at 91 % as he continues his rehab.
The foot was a problem for Nimmo final yr within the postseason, main him to obtain a platelet wealthy plasma (PRP) injection within the days after the Mets misplaced Recreation 6 of the NLCS to the Dodgers.
Nimmo has additionally acquired bodily remedy and is utilizing orthotics as a part of his rehab.
“We’re in a really good spot,” Nimmo stated at Clover Park. “It’s place to be. We’re trending upwards. We’re going to maintain stacking good days on good days. What you wish to do is simply not push it too laborious proper now as a result of it’s trending in the fitting course.
“We probably turned the corner in the last three or four weeks — it’s happened just in time because they are having to pull back on me a little bit more, which is the way you want it.”
Nimmo is sporting digital units throughout his exercises that measure his working towards his high foot pace, permitting him to know he’s at 91 %.
For the final three seasons, Nimmo has eased into spring coaching by skipping the primary week or two of the Grapefruit League.
It’s an method he’ll proceed this spring as he appears to remain wholesome all season.
“It’s been three years of playing 150-plus games plus playoffs, and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Nimmo stated.
Nimmo just isn’t solely making an attempt to return to full-strength working, but additionally make sure the plantar fasciitis isn’t a problem later within the yr.
“A lot is going to depend on cleat choice and taking care of my foot, making sure I get the soft tissue work done, keeping it strong and then doing the [physical therapy] work,” Nimmo stated. “There’s definitely a chance it can come back, but our goal is to be working ahead of the schedule rather than be reactive to it so try to keep it from coming back.”
Nimmo stated he didn’t know if he would possibly obtain occasional begins because the DH, permitting him to get off his ft.
Nimmo final season shifted from heart to left subject.
Final week the Mets re-signed Pete Alonso to a two-year contract price $54 million, bringing a stage of consolation to Nimmo, who will probably be reunited together with his teammate of the previous six seasons.
“He and I have been together a long time, and anytime you add 30-40 homers to your lineup you have got to love that, especially with the lineup we have got going right now,” Nimmo stated. “I think he’s going to have a lot of success hitting behind [Juan] Soto.”
Nimmo admitted he was involved the Mets would possibly transfer on with out Alonso as negotiations between the 2 sides lagged.
“I was just trying to hold out hope,” Nimmo stated. “It kind of seemed like that time had come and passed and I was just like, ‘I’d love to see you back,’ and just kept telling him that.”
Among the many prospects is that Nimmo might hit cleanup within the batting order behind Soto and Alonso, however that dialog with supervisor Carlos Mendoza has not occurred but.
Final season was Nimmo’s worst offensively, as he produced a .727 OPS.
Nimmo started the season within the leadoff spot, however moved down within the lineup in Might, with Francisco Lindor put in atop the batting order.
“[Mendoza] talked with me a lot last year about if I had any reservations hitting anywhere in the lineup,” Nimmo stated. “I told him it really doesn’t matter to me. My at-bats are dictated by the situation in the game and so he should feel comfortable putting me anywhere in the lineup that he wants.”
