Brandon Nimmo is in the starting lineup for the first Mets NLCS game at home since 2015, but the longest-tenured member of the club will not be at 100 percent.
Nimmo is battling plantar fasciitis once again in his left foot, something he told The Athletic’s Tim Britton that he was initially dealing with the painful injury back in May, but re-aggravated it during game three of the NLDS.
It hasn’t been an easy going for Nimmo since that game three win over the Phillies at Citi Field, as the ailing outfielder it hitless in his last 16 plate appearances and hasn’t finished either of the first two NLCS games. In game one, he was pulled for a pinch hitter, and in game two, he was removed for a defensive substitution after clearly limping in left field following a running catch near the warning track, and again as he chased a ball down the line that landed foul.
Still, Carlos Mendoza told reporters before game three that Nimmo was his guy to start in left field and bat third, even with the knowledge that Nimmo won’t be playing pain free.
“Look, he's going to feel it,” Mendoza said. “He's going to play through it. He's doing everything he can in the training room, the weight room to put himself in a position where he's a player for us. And that's why I'm comfortable with him in the lineup.
“The one thing with these guys, they're going to be honest with me. If there's any type of hesitation, they're going to let me know. So that wasn't the case, and that's why he's in the lineup today playing left field.”
Nimmo looked to be finding a groove in October by game two of the NLDS, batting .333 with an .868 OPS in the playoffs after finishing with a home run in what was his second straight multi-hit game. There was the clear drop-off after game three, when Nimmo says he aggravated the injury, as he hasn’t gotten a hit since. But Mendoza hopes the constant treatment and days off in the playoffs will help keep him effective.
But after Tuesday’s day off, the Mets now have three straight at home with no rest days.
“The off day definitely helps a little bit,” Mendoza said. “That's something that's not going to get better overnight. He continues to get treatment. He continues to do everything he can.
“And the three in a row, I think it's a day-to-day type deal. I will check with him after every game. Like I said, he's going to be honest with me. If he feels like he cannot go, he's going to let me know. And then I'm going to have to make some adjustments.”
Game four will be another day and another worry. For now, Mendoza feels comfortable that a hobbled Nimmo is better than the alternative.
“I don't want to get too far ahead of myself,” Mendoza said. “He's good for today. I will check with him after the game. I will check with him tomorrow morning. Wait until he gets to the ballpark. And then if we have to make adjustments, we will.”