Major League Baseball

Brandon Nimmo finds star form to become the leader the title-starved Mets need

Updated Apr. 26, 2023 12:14 p.m. ET

NEW YORK — Four years ago, Brandon Nimmo was sent home early from Mets spring training with a stomach issue. Then-manager Mickey Callaway attempted to provide insight on Nimmo’s absence from camp, but that information was later revealed to be mostly false. You could call it the first "LOLMets" story of that season.

"I guess he cooked some chicken, and didn't know how to cook or something," Callaway would claim. "He was throwing up all night. We're going to have to teach him how to cook, so he doesn't miss any more games."

As it turned out, Nimmo was dealing with a stomach virus that had nothing to do with the chicken he cooked the night before. And by the time he was recovered enough to explain the situation in his own words, the raw chicken story had already gone viral. Nimmo even received a handful of digital thermometers from fans to better avoid undercooking his chicken. All these years later, Nimmo still attributes the misinformation about his ability to cook poultry to Callaway.

"Man," Nimmo said, "Mickey really threw me under the bus."

Nimmo recalled that 2019 incident on Tuesday at Citi Field as one of the many examples of how he’s "seen it all" as a franchise greybeard during his eight years in New York. Nimmo, drafted as a first-round pick in 2011, now represents the longest-tenured Met. And fresh off an eight-year, $162 million contract extension, he's looking forward to, of course, bringing a championship back to Queens. But over these next eight years, he also intends to play an integral role in more positive changes throughout the organization.

Nimmo believes that raw-chicken tale is just one incident of many across his tenure that wouldn’t unfold the way it did under the current regime. The 2023 Mets, particularly manager Buck Showalter and general manager Billy Eppler, are infinitely more tight-lipped and careful with their words than the club’s clownish personnel from previous years.

The adults are finally in the room. That’s been a welcome change for the Mets clubhouse; the less drama and LOLMets moments they have to deal with, the more they can focus on baseball. But Nimmo, tapping into his leadership, is putting a little bit more on his plate in hopes of creating a culture and identity for the Mets that focuses on all the good that comes out of the Queens franchise.

"I've been in the Mets organization for a long time and I've seen what we've done really well and I've seen what we can improve upon," Nimmo told FOX Sports on Tuesday. "And I'm here to be that steady voice of, this is the way that we do things around here. We're finding some success as of late doing that, and so let's filter out the stuff that doesn't help us and let's keep the stuff that does.

"That's kind of my place, is being that steady force around here, rather than — I'm definitely not going to be your rah-rah player. I usually let my actions speak louder than my words."

In many ways, Nimmo’s actions — on and off the field — encapsulate what Steve Cohen’s Mets are trying to be. When Cohen bought the Mets for $2.4 billion in 2020, his vision included setting forth a culture change and winning a championship within the first 3-5 years of his ownership. Nimmo’s strong start to the season is making fans believe that, despite the pitching injuries and other early-season adversities the team is trying to overcome, the ultimate goal of being perennial contenders is possible with this kind of elite performance at the plate and in center field.

Nimmo, tasked to bat leadoff, is tied with the Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. for the highest fWAR (1.6) in Major League Baseball. He’s slashing .349/.456/.494 with 16 walks and 13 RBI. He’s staying healthy. There was a time when Mets fans were clamoring for Starling Marte to be the center fielder over Nimmo. No more. Nimmo makes web-gem catches on a nightly basis, leading to the most Outs Above Average (3) among all qualified outfielders. He’s been worth every penny of his contract extension.

Though his performance in April has been special, it’s also what we have come to expect from the Wyoming native, but perhaps turned up a couple notches. It’s hard to believe Nimmo has yet to be named an All-Star in his eight-year career. He said his scorching-hot start to the season is driven, in part, by his contract extension because it’s helped him be more comfortable about his future.

"I don't have to worry about the business of baseball anymore," Nimmo said. "And I just get to worry about being the very best that I can be that day and trying to help us win the championship. That for me is the ultimate dream because I just get to play baseball and be the best version of myself."

Right before our eyes we’re seeing Nimmo grow up and into a star. When debating who the next Mets team captain could be — the role has been vacant since David Wright last had it in 2018 — it’s impossible not to include Nimmo in the mix, alongside shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Pete Alonso. And yet, Nimmo’s style of leadership is so different from Lindor’s demonstrative guidance and Alonso’s loud and friendly encouragement.

Nimmo is a leader who motivates his teammates by example. His unparalleled work ethic includes completing his conditioning exercises and maintenance well after the game is over, and usually well after his other teammates have already gone home. He strives to give every play, every at-bat, every interaction, every interview and every moment his absolute best. He embraces unfamiliar faces with kindness. During batting practice on Tuesday, when Cohen's wife Alex introduced Nimmo to someone, he greeted her with a warm hug before adding, with his usual big smile, "We hug around here."

That warmth and positivity is a fundamental part of how Nimmo operates. Lately, he feels like he can be himself even more so because of the strong connection he’s formed with the fan base. But Nimmo had to earn that respect from Mets faithful; it wasn’t given to him. Having seen the good and the bad of the organization, Nimmo can better relate to the fan base’s roller-coaster of emotions, which can border on nuclear, throughout a season.

"I think it's very important to have been through those times because you gain a lot of maturity and knowledge through the tough times of, here's how things went down, this is probably why they happen this way, and here's how we learn from it moving forward," Nimmo said. "I do not think we get to these good times without those bad times, but you definitely want to learn from them. And I think the fans appreciate that.

"Most Mets fans, they usually preface it with the two words in front of it: long-suffering. For them, I think they can relate. It would be something really special to bring them a championship here because I do think it's something they can relate to, they've been waiting [for a championship] a long time. And in my baseball years, it's been a long time, too."

Right now, Nimmo has it all figured out. Less raw-chicken stories and more winning will buy him love from the fan base. And, in turn, his intentions and goals for the organization provide Mets fans with renewed hope for the future of their beloved franchise.

Deesha Thosar is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets for 3.5 seasons as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. She never misses a Rafael Nadal match, no matter what country and time zone he’s playing in. Sleep can always be sacrificed for sports. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

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