In a playoff race, a team sometimes has to do things they would not normally do over the course of an 162-game season. With 17 games left in the year, the New York Mets made a lineup move on Tuesday that has not been done in a long time. In their 6-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Brandon Nimmo moved down to fifth in the starting lineup when he would normally be in the top three.
Normally, moving down to the fifth spot wouldn’t be as shocking compared to hitting in the bottom third of the order. However, in Nimmo’s case, it’s surprising when you consider he hasn’t hit below the fourth spot at any point this year and not in the last few years.
That move could be the one that gets the outfielder going over the final 2+ weeks of the year. In his first at-bat Tuesday, he got the Mets on the board with an RBI single to center that drove in Francisco Lindor. For Nimmo, that was only the third run he has driven in during the first inning this year (.143/.256/.223, 2 home runs, 36 K’s, .479 OPS).
Photo by Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
If you compare that number to a year ago, Nimmo had a slash line of .271/.373/.442 with five home runs, five RBIs, and an .815 OPS (same number of strikeouts). Despite the move down in the order, Nimmo knows at this point in the year, he has to do anything he can do to help the team reach the postseason.
“I really don’t care where I hit because the game is going to dictate the situations…If you are in the top three, then you know you are going to get an at-bat in the first inning. Other than that, you really just don’t know how things are going to fall during a game…I’m not too concerned with where I’m hitting.”
In Carlos Mendoza‘s first year as manager, fans have noticed that he is never afraid to shake up the lineup if he feels it will yield a positive result. With the way Mark Vientos and Jesse Winker have hit over the last month, it makes sense to ride the hot hands as long as possible. With the lineup scoring 10 runs in the last four games, it would make sense to try to a new combination.
Even though Nimmo is having a rough beginning to September (.167/235/.200, 3 RBIs, .435 OPS), Mendoza still believes that Nimmo is going in the right direction despite the results not being there.
“I feel like his at-bats have been better. I think maybe a tick off missing pitches, but he continues to control the strike zone. He has given us good at-bats, but the results are taking a little bit longer than he would like to. Every time he is at the plate, we feel good. I moved him down, but that’s still a high-leverage spot in the lineup.”
It’s possible that moving to a high-leverage spot could help Nimmo. This season, he is tied with J.D. Martinez for the most hits with runners in scoring position (37) and is second in RBIs (54) and slugging percentage (.558) behind Martinez as well. In fact, 54 of Nimmo’s 75 RBIs this year have come in those clutch situations.
If the Mets are going to make it to the postseason, they will need Nimmo to end what has been a rough 2024 on a great note. Maybe moving down slightly in the order will give him the boost he needs. If anything, it shows Mendoza is willing to push any button he can to get the most success out of his team.
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