Brandon Nimmo was one of those players who felt like part of the heart of the New York Mets fan base. Now, he’s no longer with the team. He’s heading to the Texas Rangers, and he recently said in a message that this trade is ultimately what’s best for the Mets.
“The Mets would not have brought this trade if they didn’t feel like it put the Mets in the best position to win going forward,” Nimmo said, speaking calmly and sounding fully aligned with the decision. “They made it very apparent that they weren’t actively shopping me but that the Rangers really, really, really wanted me.”
In the long message posted by SNY Mets, Nimmo admitted he’s starving to win a World Series. “I would not have waived the no-trade clause if I did not think that I could come here [Texas] and win and be a part of chasing that World Series.”
A World Series is at the center of Nimmo’s priorities
Among the many things Nimmo addressed, he emphasized twice how important winning a World Series is to him. He called it a major goal and made it clear that personal stats or franchise records, things that could’ve helped define a strong career with the Mets, were not what he truly wanted.
“We wanted to know that there was a willingness and a want, if we went to the Rangers, that they wanted to win. That is my ultimate goal. The personal stuff, that’s all great, and I think it’s evident by this decision that there’s a solid chance that if I stay healthy, if I just kept producing — me and David Wright would’ve been pretty much the only ones that started and finished with the Mets. I could’ve had a pretty good chance of having the numbers in the rafters, but that’s not what it all means to me. I would honestly rather win a World Series.”
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Nimmo admits the trade caught him off guard
Fans wanted to know if Nimmo was upset by the trade. In his recent comments, he admitted it wasn’t something he saw coming. “It definitely took me as a shock. I was surprised to hear that.” And as previously reported, it took him several days to accept the move.
Nimmo also revealed he spoke with Jacob deGrom, his former Mets teammate until 2022. The pitcher helped him work through the decision, and according to Nimmo, he is “really, really excited” to have him in Texas. “I would not have waived the no-trade clause if I did not think that I could come here and win and be a part of chasing that World Series.”
But as he said himself, if the trade was truly what the Mets believed was best for their future, then that’s how he viewed it too. He accepted it as something that could benefit the organization.
President of Baseball Operations David Stearns spoke briefly about that “benefit,” saying cautiously, “I don’t know if it’s necessarily wanting to change the clubhouse dynamics. I think it’s a recognition that what we did last year wasn’t good enough and running back the exact same group wasn’t the right thing to do,” when asked whether moving Nimmo was meant to alter locker room chemistry.
Mets fans get one last message from Nimmo
Before heading to his new team, Nimmo made sure to say goodbye to the Mets fans who supported him through the years, from the minors to the majors. He thanked them for their loyalty and love.
“There is truly no way I could adequately put into words how much my tenure with the Mets has meant to me. All I can say is thank you. Thank you Mets fans for embracing and welcoming a kid from Cheyenne, Wyoming to the Big Apple. I always aspired to become a big leaguer—I never knew I’d have the opportunity to accomplish that dream in a city so wildly passionate about the game of baseball. The last 14 years have felt like a dream, and it has been an absolute honor to share them with you. You made me feel like family, and I hope you felt the same. I will always be grateful for our time and memories together. With love, always,” Nimmo wrote on Instagram.
