Brandon Nimmo 'Open' To Extension Talks With Mets

With free agent Michael Conforto's time potentially coming to a close with the Mets after a total seven seasons with the organization, the club may look to pivot towards locking up one of their other longtime homegrown outfielders instead.

Brandon Nimmo arrived at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Saturday, and addressed his contract situation as he gets set to enter his final year of arbitration in 2022.

“This is all I’ve known, being a New York Met, and I like the direction that this team is headed," Nimmo told reporters, while acknowledging that he's "open" to discussing a long-term deal with the Mets. "I think that Steve [Cohen] at the helm of things is, he wants to win and will do what it takes to win. That’s what you need, first and foremost, is someone that’s willing to do it.

"I know being here for as long as I have, every year, all I hear about is the '69 Mets and the '86 Mets. I want to be one of those teams that brings a World Series back. I think that would be amazing to have a parade in New York. I would like to be a part of that. I haven’t been approached. We’ll see what happens, but definitely not against [an extension]."

"All I hear about is the '69 Mets and the '86 Mets. I want to be part of one of those teams that brings a World Series back."

- Brandon Nimmo pic.twitter.com/GPc7JpYEG6
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 12, 2022

Nimmo, who turns 29-years-old in two weeks, left CAA in January to join Boras Corp. Although super agent Scott Boras' clients typically wind up testing free agency, Nimmo says his change in representation does not affect his desire to remain with the Mets in the long-term. Last year, the Mets were unable to reach an agreement on a extension with Conforto, whose also repped by Boras.

One factor that could wind up preventing Nimmo and the Mets from striking an extension in the near future is the addition of the new fourth surcharge level of the luxury tax, which is being referred to as the "Steve Cohen tax." This was added as part of the new collective bargaining agreement, and will result in harsher penalties towards owners who exceed a $290 million payroll.

Needless to say, Nimmo, the Mets' MLBPA union rep, isn't the biggest fan of this new surcharge level.

"I'm not a huge fan because that's Steve's tax, basically," he said. "But it's something [the owners] were passionate about. Ultimately, it comes down to, 'What do the majority of players want to do?'"

The Mets selected Nimmo in the first-round of the 2011 MLB Draft. Last season, he slashed .292/.401/.437/.838, but was limited to just 92 games due to a torn ligament in his hand and a hamstring injury.

Nimmo is tied for the fourth-best on-base percentage in baseball (.398) since the start of the 2018 season. Nimmo and top free agent acquisition Starling Marte are expected to occupy the first two spots in the Mets' lineup, with one of them manning center field and the other playing left field this season.

Seaver Statue Date Revealed

Although MLB's owner-imposed lockout pushed back the start of the 2022 regular season, the work stoppage is finally over, which means there will be a full 162-game schedule.

The Mets will begin the season on the road, but when they return home, they will be honoring a very special player in franchise history.

According to Tim Healey of Newsday, the Mets intend to unveil a Tom Seaver statue at Citi Field before their home opener with the Diamondbacks on April 15. As Healey also revealed, the Mets always planned on honoring Seaver prior to their first home game this season, which will now be on the same date as Jackie Robinson Day, meaning players will be wearing No. 42.

Seaver, the late Hall of Famer who passed away in August of 2020, spent 12 out of 20 big-league seasons with the Mets. The right-handed starting pitcher went 198-124 with a 2.57 ERA, 171 complete games and won three Cy Young Awards while playing for the Mets. He also helped lead the club to their first ever World Series championship in 1969, and captured the 1967 National League Rookie of the Year Award.