Brandon Nimmo asked David Stearns, “Am I the only one standing in the way of this trade?” Stearns replied, “Yes.”
When Nimmo signed his eight-year, $162 million contract in the 2022 offseason, there was a full no-trade clause. If the Mets wanted to trade him, he would have to approve it. And that’s just what the Mets asked him. After mulling it over and talking with former-teammate-turned-current-teammate Jacob deGrom, Nimmo accepted a trade to the Texas Rangers while the Mets acquired 2B Marcus Semien.
In a zoom call with his new team, Nimmo offered insight into his Mets tenure and future with Texas.
Roberto Carlo
Nimmo would not have accepted the trade if the team wasn’t planning on being World Series contenders in the next few years. Nimmo discussed the Rangers’ future with deGrom, noting the reviews of the organization were strong and so was the belief they could win.
Per the Rangers’ president of baseball operations (and former Mets pitcher) Chris Young, Nimmo will likely play right field, but nothing has been decided.
“It took me as a shock.” Nimmo told Laura Albanese of Newsday, “We had built this entire life that had centered around that we were going to be NY Mets until the very end.” The Nimmos had just recently completed building a home in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where the Mets’ spring training facility is. The Texas Rangers’ spring training facility is in Surprise, Arizona, just outside of Phoenix.
“I could have had a pretty good chance of having a number in the rafters, but that’s not, that’s not what it all means to me. I would honestly rather win a World Series.” Nimmo noted. As the 32-year-old’s Mets career comes to an end, here is where he stands on the all-time leaderboards. He finished fifth in triples (188), fifth in walks (524), sixth in bWAR among position players (26.1), sixth in runs scored (593), eighth in OBP (.364), ninth in plate appearances (4,365), ninth in HRs (135) 10th in total bases (1,631) and 10th in doubles (188).
When discussing Mets fans, Nimmo noted, “I absolutely loved them. I fell short of a World Series but hopefully, and it seems like from the outpouring support that I’ve been getting, that the fanbase remembers me fondly as well. That’s always a great feeling, to feel like you’re appreciated.”
Nimmo gave a heartfelt tribute on his personal Instagram account, thanking the Mets and fans:
“To the fans I’ll always hold near and dear:
There is truly no way I could adequately put into words how much my tenure with the Mets has meant to me. All I can say is thank you. Thank you Mets fans for embracing and welcoming a kid from Cheyenne, Wyoming to the Big Apple. I always aspired to become a big leaguer—I never knew I’d have the opportunity to accomplish that dream in a city so wildly passionate about the game of baseball. The last 14 years have felt like a dream, and it has been an absolute honor to share them with you. You made me feel like family, and I hope you felt the same. I will always be grateful for our time and memories together. With love, always 🧡💙”
