ARLINGTON, Texas — Two days after a stomach bug knocked him out of the Texas Rangers’ lineup, Brandon Nimmo said Tuesday that he’s feeling much better and is ready to play when Texas opens a three-game series against the New York Mets at Globe Life Field. He slept for 15 hours during Monday’s off day, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reported.
Texas scratched Nimmo about an hour before first pitch on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays and listed him out with an illness. The Blue Jays went on to win the series finale 7-2, and Jacob deGrom was tagged with the loss that dropped him to 11-10.
Before Saturday’s game, the Rangers put right-hander Michel Otañez on the 15-day injured list with an illness. His symptoms were different from what Nimmo had, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported, and the club thinks the two cases are unrelated.
Brandon Nimmo’s First Season With The Rangers
Nobody on the Rangers had played more games than Nimmo’s 149 going into Sunday. He’s slashing .260/.325/.407 this season with 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, 7 stolen bases, and a team-high 148 hits, and most of his starts have come in right field.
In his last game, Saturday’s 6-2 win over Toronto, Nimmo batted fourth and singled in the sixth inning. He came around to score two batters later when Danny Jansen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Texas got Nimmo from the Mets on Nov. 24 in the trade that sent Marcus Semien to New York. By the time he left, Nimmo had spent 10 seasons with the Mets and was the longest-tenured player on their roster. He’s still playing on the eight-year, $162 million contract he signed with New York in December 2022.
Tuesday night is the first time the Rangers and Mets have met since the trade.
MacKenzie Gore And Sean Manaea Open The Mets Series
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT, and the game will air on Rangers Sports Network. Both starters are left-handers, with MacKenzie Gore (8-11, 4.67 ERA, 172 strikeouts) getting the ball for Texas against Sean Manaea (5-7, 4.74 ERA, 132 strikeouts).
The Houston Astros lost at home on Sunday as well, 4-2. That left the Rangers still one game up in the American League West with six to play, 78-78 to Houston’s 77-79. The Astros took the season series 9-4, which gives them the tiebreaker. The Mets come in at 71-85 and have already been eliminated from postseason contention.
After a 1:35 p.m. CT finale on Thursday, the Rangers go to Minneapolis to close the regular season with three games against the Minnesota Twins starting Sept. 25.
