Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo suffers right hamstring strain
The Mets’ up and coming outfielder was hurt during Italy’s third game of Pool D.
[Updated 3/15/07]
Nimmo spoke with reporters today and told them that his hamstring is feeling good overall, and the outlook is “way better than they were expecting.” He’s even hopeful he’ll be ready for Opening Day if all goes well.
[Updated 3/13/07]
The Mets have issued a brief statement regarding Brandon Nimmo’s injury per Newsday’s Marc Carig.
[Original post]
Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo — who was playing for Italy’s national team in the World Baseball Classic — left Sunday’s game vs Puerto Rico with an injury.
The incident occurred in the fifth inning after Puerto Rico’s Enrique Hernandez hit a triple to the right center field gap that Nimmo was running down. Nimmo was removed from the game immediately after the play, and was thankfully able to walk off the field under his own power.
According to MLB report Jesse Sanchez, Nimmo has suffered a grade 1 right hamstring strain. Italy’s manager confirmed the news to Sanchez and said Nimmo is obviously done for the tournament (if Italy even makes it past this round) and is expected to miss “a few weeks” overall.
Nimmo’s injury will without a doubt impact his ability to make the team to start the season. With Opening Day just 22 days away, he’s likely not even going to be able to play the outfield until after that, and depending on what happens with the rest of the Mets outfield, he may just be sent directly to Las Vegas when he is ready to come back.
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Of course, since this injury occurred during the World Baseball Classic, there will be those that will blame the tournament for Nimmo’s injury. But tracking down a ball in the outfield is one of those things that could literally have happened in any type of game – friendly or not. Blaming the entire tournament for an injury like this would just be silly.
The Mets have not issued a statement about Nimmo or his injury yet.