A tough injury day for the Mets nearly got worse Saturday when Brandon Nimmo was hit by a foul ball in the left knee in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Nimmo was in so much pain he limped for several minutes before finishing his at-bat.
The center fielder was able to complete the 4-0 loss to Atlanta without any further issues and expressed confidence afterward that he would have no lingering issues heading into Sunday.
Nimmo said the ball struck him on the back of his knee, just above the kneecap – an area that foul balls normally avoid – and left him “with his legs frozen” for a moment.
“My leg got stuck and I had to wait for a few minutes,” Nimmo said. “It’s a little swollen but I’m OK. I was able to move around.”
That was good news for Carlos Mendoza.
“At one point I thought he had to go,” the coach said. “I was scared at first. I’m glad it wasn’t a big deal.”
Luis Severino has gone from a potential loss at the trade deadline to the Mets to an even more important player for the team’s playoff chances, especially with the loss of Kodai Senga, who is likely out for the remainder of the regular season with a strained left calf.
Severino, who signed a one-year contract after a terrible last season with the Yankees, said he hasn’t had any discussions with the Mets about staying in Queens beyond this season.
“I haven’t had that conversation yet,” Severino said Saturday. “I’m open to talking about anything. Right now we’re just focused on the season and this season is great. Anything can happen at the end of the year.”
And with the addition of Ryne Stanek, the Mets have made it clear they will be buyers at the trade deadline, though Senga’s absence could complicate things before Tuesday.
“I hope we can add some more guys,” Severino said. “Everybody needs pitchers. We just got Senga back and now we’re losing him. With Stanek here, we can add some more guys.”
This is a far cry from where the Mets were in early June, when a playoff berth seemed unrealistic and a deadline sale was a real possibility.
“It feels great to be in a position to compete,” Francisco Lindor said.
Asked if he thought there was still work to be done before Tuesday, the shortstop said, “I don’t really know. Right now we’re obviously playing very well and we’re continuing to move up the rankings, so we’ll see where it takes us.”
Harrison Bader sprained his right ankle while attempting to steal third base in Tuesday’s win over the Yankees and did not play again Saturday.
Bader took full batting practice on Friday and completed a full range of “pre-game activities” before Saturday’s game against Atlanta.
Third base was a big void for the Mets early this season, and for much of last year.
In 2023, they have hit just 14 home runs from the spot, but Mark Vientos hit his 14th of the season on Friday.
He owns the second-highest slugging percentage among third basemen with at least 220 plate appearances, behind only Boston’s Rafael Devers.
Vientos was permanently recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on May 15, when he filled in for the struggling Brett Batty, who struggled at third base for much of last year.
Batty remains in Syracuse, while Vientos is a key part of the Mets’ rebuild.
