Brandon Nimmo touts Mets camaraderie, veteran leadership to start season

Brandon Nimmo ranked 17th in the majors with an .886 OPS last season for the Mets last season. Photo Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin

When Brandon Nimmo went out to celebrate his 26th birthday the night before Opening Day, more than half the Mets roster joined him.

That was his first indication that the team would be capable of a quick start. Fast forward two weeks and the Mets sit at 6-3.

“Sixteen guys thought enough of the team camaraderie and chemistry that guys who I only knew for about six weeks now came to my birthday dinner and helped me celebrate it,” Nimmo told amNewYork on Monday. “I think that just shows how willing these guys are to be a part of the team.”

Nimmo spent the Mets’ off day working to promote the Citi Community Home Run program’s No Kid Hungry initiative, which provides 20,000 meals to kids in need every time a Met homers at Citi Field this season.

“From a childhood standpoint, you need the nutrition to go to school and be able to learn and have the energy to go out and be able to play with your friends and expand your horizon and your areas of learning,” Nimmo said. “Nutrition is not just a luxury. It’s something that should be a right for everyone.”

On the field, the left fielder has struggled at the plate, going 3-for-29 (.103) and entering Monday as the major league leader in strikeouts with 17. Nimmo said he’s trying to keep an even-keeled perspective on the ups and downs after going through last year’s 11-1 start that faded, while personally succeeding as a hitter with a .263/.404/.483 slash line in 140 games.

“I think it’s great that we’ve had guys who aren’t doing as well right now and our team is still winning,” Nimmo said,” because there are going to be times when that flip-flops, and those guys are going to be carrying the team.”

Nimmo credited first-year general manager Brodie Van Wagenen for bringing in players like Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, Jed Lowrie and Wilson Ramos. They’re high-caliber players who Nimmo identified as also good teammates.

“When you’re able to get a lot of guys pulling on the same end of the rope, that provides a lot of success,” Nimmo said.