Why these 3 Mets free agent additions will have a better year in 2023

3) NY Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has been much better in the past

Brandon Nimmo is back with the Mets and it doesn’t look like he’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. Narvaez and Pham each had notable struggles in 2022. Nimmo was a bit different. He played well, stayed healthy, and delivered pretty much what the Mets needed. However, each of his slash line numbers were down from the previous two years. Was it a case of extra playing time to lower them or has Nimmo lost some mojo?

The most surprising drop from Nimmo’s stat line last season was his OBP. At .367, it was an incredible number yet nowhere near the previous totals. Only his 32 game stint with the Mets in 2016 was lower. What happened?

Nimmo walked in 10.6% of his plate appearances which is on the other side of his career average of 13.6%. He did, however, cut his strikeout rate down to a career low of only 17.2%. Nimmo is putting the ball in play. It’s just not resulting in any extra trips to first base or beyond.

From skipping the WBC to delaying his spring training debut, Nimmo seems to be taking this year more seriously than any other. Although unreported, we should all believe he’s cooking his chicken more thoroughly as well.

Nimmo might not blow last season’s numbers out of the water but we have seen him perform better in the past. There’s no reason to doubt he can’t get back to the near or over .400 OBP player he has been regularly in previous years.