Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Mets will look into the possibility of signing free agent outfielder Kevin Kiermaier if they fail to bring Brandon Nimmo back.
Nimmo had a very strong season in both the offensive and defensive facets of the game in 2022. Offensively, he accumulated a slash line of .274/.367/.433 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs in 151 games. Consequently, his 134 wRC+ placed him as the third best in that metric among qualified center fielders. Defensively, he achieved a -3 DRS, but was favored more in the OAA metric with 6, in which he is tied for fifth best among qualified center fielders. Overall, he possessed a 5.4 fWAR, which placed him at the second best among qualified center fielders.
Based on this, it is obvious to state that Nimmo took great strides this season and will command a large contract in free agency as he is in the upper echelon of center fielders in terms of his production in both areas. Since the Mets just recently spent a large amount of money on the signing of Justin Verlander, it can be called into question that they are willing to provide Nimmo with a lucrative contract when the team has several other needs that will likely be addressed.
That said, Kiermaier is seen as an alternative option if Nimmo does not return. In 2022, Kiermaier accumulated a slash line of .228/.281/.369 with 7 home runs and 22 RBIs in a mere 63 games with the Tampa Bay Rays. His 90 wRC+ was slightly below league average, which puts into perspective that he did not have a strong offensive season. On the defensive end, he had a DRS of 2 and an OAA of 1 with an overall fWAR of 1.1.
While Kiermaier did not have a strong defensive season in 2022, he has been well-known for his defense throughout his career. In fact, he posted a 13 DRS and 11 OAA just as recently as 2021.
Overall, if the Mets are unable to bring back Nimmo, Kiermaier will be an option that provides reliability on the defensive end. However, he likely will not be the answer in terms of replacing Nimmo’s offensive production.
It does appear as though the Mets will need to prepare for life after Nimmo. Heyman also reported that the New York Yankees are expected to meet with Nimmo in San Diego at the Winter Meetings and it is a possibility that they could end up signing both Aaron Judge and Nimmo. Although both signings would automatically burden the Yankees with one of the biggest payrolls in baseball, it would also give them one of the best defensive outfields in the majors with Harrison Bader also on the roster for the 2023 season.
With the Yankees seeking two outfielders and their interest in Nimmo seemingly very real and concrete, the Mets are doing the right thing by doing due diligence on other outfielders, including Kiermaier who doesn’t have the same talent level as Nimmo but would give the Mets a very good arm and a solid enough bat.
