Brandon Nimmo is returning to the Mets, remaining with the team the outfielder has been with his entire career.
Nimmo, 29, is signing an eight-year, $162 million deal with New York. According to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, Nimmo’s contract also includes a no-trade clause.
He is one of the team’s most important offensive players, and his value increased recently as he turned himself into a plus center fielder.
SNY’s Andy Martino reported earlier this offseason that the Mets had prioritized re-signing Nimmo and Edwin Diaz (who re-signed on a five-year, $102 million deal) over all of their other internal free agents.
Nimmo slashed .274/.367/.433 with 30 doubles, 16 home runs, seven triples, 102 runs scored, and 64 RBI in a career-high 152 games played for the Mets in 2022 as he was among the most valuable players in baseball.
Via fWAR, Nimmo was the 27th-most valuable player in the game, just ahead of Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners and right behind Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros.
While Nimmo has been one of the most productive outfielders in the game since 2018 as far as offense, slashing .269/.388/.449 in 507 games over five seasons, he recently turned himself into a difference-maker in center field — in part by adjusting his positioning to play deeper.
Nimmo was one of the best center fielders in baseball in 2022, in the 90th percentile in Outs Above Average.
With Nimmo back in tow, the Mets will be able to keep Starling Marte in right field. Earlier this offseason, GM Billy Eppler said the team was prepared to shift Marte to center in the event they lost Nimmo.