Mets still could have Brandon Nimmo ready for Opening Day

WASHINGTON — Brandon Nimmo’s fate to begin the season hasn’t been decided, however based mostly on how he felt throughout a exercise Wednesday the outfielder can envision himself beginning the opener.

“We nonetheless have extra issues to debate, and we’ve to see how I really feel once I are available in, however I’m much more optimistic proper now,” Nimmo mentioned.

Nimmo obtained a cortisone shot Monday for a stiff neck that he says started bothering him throughout an exhibition sport the day before today. He mentioned his greatest situation has been vary of movement, seeing the pitcher and turning to his proper.

The Mets’ choices, in line with supervisor Buck Showalter, are to play Nimmo, give him one or two extra days to relaxation or place him on the injured checklist. Nimmo missed important motion in 2019 with a bulging disk in his neck that he suspects is expounded to the newest ailment.

“If I didn’t have that, we in all probability wouldn’t be coping with this,” Nimmo mentioned. “However we’re doing every little thing we are able to on our finish in an effort to not make this an issue. I don’t suppose it is going to be. I actually suppose that it’s just some days sort of factor and it simply occurred sadly just a few days earlier than Opening Day, however I’m actually assured this received’t be one thing that plagues me all year long.”

Nimmo mentioned he’s added stabilization and mobility workouts to his routine in recent times which have helped preserve his neck wholesome thus far. He mentioned an MRI examination indicated his neck hasn’t regressed structurally since 2019 and he’s coping with a muscle spasm.

Travis Jankowski will start the season on the 28-man roster to supply the Mets with insurance coverage within the outfield. If Nimmo isn’t accessible it’s doable Showalter will use the identical alignment within the outfield he deployed in an exhibition sport Monday, when Mark Canha began in middle with Jeff McNeil in left and Starling Marte in proper.

Showalter has already indicated he plans to begin J.D. Davis at DH towards left-hander Patrick Corbin. Whether or not Robinson Cano begins at second base or is on the bench could possibly be contingent upon whether or not Nimmo performs. If Nimmo performs, it might enable McNeil to play second.