Rangers finally justifying reason Brandon Nimmo waived NY Mets' no-trade clause

Brandon Nimmo didn’t ask the New York Mets to trade him, but he did have to approve it. And it didn’t seem like he had to take a long time to do so. The first big shocker of the offseason, and maybe the largest one of all, one of the reasons for waiving the no-trade clause and accepting a deal to the Texas Rangers was because he believed they’d try to win “year in and year out.”

Aside from acquiring Nimmo at the cost of a team leader, Gold Glove second baseman, and third-place MVP from 2023, the Rangers hadn’t done much until this week’s trade for MacKenzie Gore.

Their rotation is led by over-35 and injury prone Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. Banking on continued growth from Jack Leiter and Wyatt Langford as well as healthier years from Corey Seager and Joc Pederson, they’re a ball club that took a while to wake up in order to further justify their trade for Nimmo.

The Rangers are finally doing things after convincing Brandon Nimmo they intend to compete

The Rangers finished only 2 games behind the Mets last year at an even 81-81. They’ve lost quite a lot while not really adding much at all. Their late presence and eventual winner in the Gore sweepstakes is a subtle reminder to watch out for them. They gave up a lot to get Gore. It wouldn’t make sense to stop there if other opportunities are available.

Until recently, some Mets fans have had doubts about their team’s willingness to truly challenge for a title in 2026. Adding Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr., and Freddy Peralta over the last week erased any doubt. This is a team built specifically to try to win in the coming year. The lack of long-term commitment doesn’t mean a whole lot other than they’re open to trying other things in the future.

Nimmo’s relationship with the Mets and the fans was always a positive one with the only inkling of negativity coming out after the trade. Political disagreements with Francisco Lindor and even a suggestion about how he felt he deserved to be captain instead were a bit surprising yet understandable to a degree.

Nimmo has always been smiles and Mr. Met during his New York tenure. Prior to the Gore trade, he couldn’t have been too satisfied with the way the Rangers offseason had been going. Sure, he gets to move to Texas and pay nothing in property tax. But competing didn’t seem to be a primary goal of the Rangers.