Brandon Nimmo has been hampered lately by an unspecified injury above his left quadriceps, and it kept him out of the starting lineup for the opener of the day-night doubleheader Saturday against the Braves.
Both Nimmo and Francisco Lindor, who had soreness on his right side, were back on the field for the nightcap after they sat out the Mets’ ugly 21-3 defeat in Game 1.
Nimmo, starting in left field for the first time this season, went 2-for-2 with a double and two walks in four plate appearances in the Mets’ 6-0 Game 2 loss.
Before Game 1, manager Buck Showalter said the Mets chose to use Nimmo, the starting center fielder, in left field because “there is just more ground to cover out there” in center.
“I don’t want to say something that’s not exactly medically correct,” Showalter said. “It’s below the waist, but above the knee … it’s not a quad, though everything is connected.
“We’re trying to keep him from having any setbacks. He’s doing on the field what we have come to an agreement of what he should and shouldn’t do.”
Nimmo hadn’t appeared in a game in a corner-outfield spot since 2021. He has made 257 appearances in center over the past two seasons.
Lindor also returned after sitting out his second straight game in the afternoon.
Showalter said the $341 million shortstop underwent an MRI exam earlier Saturday that “came back with pretty good news, all things considered.”
“It was about as good of news as we could have gotten,” Showalter added. “Your body’s always trying to tell you something, so we’ll keep our eye on it.”
Jimmy Yacabonis was designated for assignment to make room on the 26-man roster for Game 1 starter Denyi Reyes, who was selected from Triple-A Syracuse.
Reyes (0-2. 7.50 ERA) gave up five runs in 4 ²/₃ inning in the blowout defeat.
Yacabonis worked 3 ²/₃ innings of relief on Friday in the Mets’ 7-0 loss.
Reliever Reed Garrett, who was added as the 27th player for the doubleheader, gave up six runs in 2 ¹/₃ innings in Game 1.
Outfielder Tim Locastro was activated from the injured list after he completed a rehab assignment in the minor leagues.
Locastro, who has been out since undergoing right-thumb surgery in April, started in center in Game 2 and finished 0-for-3 with an error that led to a Braves run in the eighth inning. Outfielder Abraham Almonte was designated for assignment.