Inside The Mets

Mets star addresses 'stupid' mistake made in loss

New York Mets standout Brandon Nimmo got honest about a mental blunder he had on Friday.
Grant Young|
Aug 17, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo (9) reacts after being called out on strikes to end the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images
Aug 17, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; New York Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo (9) reacts after being called out on strikes to end the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images | Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

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The New York Mets fell to 18-8 on the season after their 5-4 loss to the Washington Nationals on April 25. While New York still boasts the best record in baseball, last night's defeat is particularly frustrating because it perhaps could have been avoided if not for a mental blunder Brandon Nimmo made in the second inning.

Nationals hitter Dylan Crews lined a single off Kodai Senga to Nimmo in left field. One hitter prior, Senga had gotten a double play, which emptied the bases. However, Nimmo clearly had forgotten about this, as he fielded the ball and threw it to third base rather than the cut-off man.

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As a result, Crews was able to stretch what should have been a single into a double. And he scored one pitch later after José Tena hit another single to Nimmo in left.

Nimmo didn't mince words when asked about this play after the loss.

“Just a stupid mental mistake,” Nimmo said, per an X post from SNY. “I saw the double play happen the play before, and for some reason in my head, I thought someone was on first base when I got the ball beforehand. And my intention was to go to third [base]. 

“And as soon as I let the ball go, I realized that no one was even turning to go from second to third, and I knew I had made a mistake right away," he continued. "Dylan [Crews], hats off to him... taking advantage of my mistake. It cost us a run there, and just a stupid mental mistake. And that can’t happen.”

Props to Nimmo for holding himself accountable over this costly mishap in left field.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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