NY Mets: Extending Brandon Nimmo this offseason is a priority

Like most of the New York Mets seasons in recent memory, 2021 has been a tremulous one, and with less than two months left in the regular season, time is running out for the team to turn things around.

The team’s main Achilles heel in 2021 has been its inconsistent offense, with many key plays such as Michael Conforto and Francisco Lindor either struggling at the plate or missing significant time due to injury. While much of the offense has underperformed expectations this year, one player, in particular, has been a very consistent bat for New York in 2021.

In fact, this particular player has arguably been the most consistent bat over the past few years and if the Mets want to continue being competitive in the future, they are wise to keep him in a Mets uniform for years to come.

With one year left on his deal following the 2021 season, the Mets should prioritize signing Brandon Nimmo to a contract extension this offseason.

Since first being called up to the big leagues for a cup of coffee in 2016 and taking over as a full time starter in 2018, Brandon Nimmo has proven himself as one of the best leadoff hitters in the league, always hustling out of the box and consistently getting on base.

Over his 6 years with the Mets in the major leagues, Nimmo has posted a .394 OBP for his career, and since the 2017 season, his lowest recorded on-base percentage was .375, which is well above the league average of .316, and regularly ranks either at or near the top of the Mets’ team statistics year to year.

Nimmo did miss some time early this season due to injury but hasn’t missed a step since his return, hitting .285 with a .416 OBP through 51 games for the 2021 season.

Among qualified players, Nimmo’s current OBP of .416 ranks second-best in the MLB, trailing only Washington Nationals LF Juan Soto.

Seeing as Nimmo has proven to be resilient even in his return, and has consistently ranked either at or near the top of the team’s statistics year to year in terms of batting average and on-base percentage, the Mets should look to give him a contract extension this offseason.

Why they need to prioritize doing so this offseason is simple. Following the 2021 season, Nimmo will have one year left of team control before becoming a free agent after the conclusion of the 2022 season, so this is their last chance to extend him before he hits the open market.

Given Nimmo’s ability to get on base at such a high level, along with his ability to play all 3 outfield positions, Nimmo will likely attract many suitors on the open market. Given the Mets offensive woes, they’ll likely struggle to replicate his offense, and would be wise to retain his services long-term.

Additionally, going into 2021, the expectation of most fans was for the team to re-sign free agent to be Michael Conforto at the end of the year, but seeing as he struggled mightily at the plate in 2021, with his batting average sitting just above .200 and low home run output, they will likely part ways this offseason.

If Conforto isn’t set to get a long-term deal, the Mets should give one to Brandon Nimmo, the man who has been New York’s most consistent bat for years now and undoubtedly their best option to bat leadoff in the lineup.

As stated, Brandon only has one year left on his contract after this year, so if the Mets don’t re-sign Nimmo this offseason, they could seriously risk losing him to free agency after the 2022 season, and if they do and struggle to find a suitable replacement, their current offensive struggles could get even worse.

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Over his career in New York, Brandon Nimmo has proven himself to be one of the most talented hitters at getting on base year after year, and with talent like that, the Mets would be fools to let him go.