At the start of last offseason, the New York Mets traded veteran outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for infielder Marcus Semien. The move caught some by surprise as it was a one-for-one deal. It also ended Nimmo’s tenure with the Mets. Many of the fans were connected to him because of his fun-loving demeanor and play on the field which made him valuable to them. He was also their home grown outfielder, who spent nine seasons with the NL East franchise after they drafted him in the 2011 MLB draft. Since then much time has passed, and the trade comes full circle when the Mets face off against the Rangers at Globe Life Field on Tuesday.
Opening Filled
Although there was some concern about the Mets trading Brandon Nimmo, they were able to fill the void in the aftermath of the deal. They moved Juan Soto to left, which was occupied by Nimmo for some time. As they got closer to the regular season, the Mets promoted top prospect Carson Benge to be their everyday right fielder. Later, they promoted prospect A.J. Ewing to be their everyday centerfielder.
Soto put together another productive season, registering 103 hits, 26 home runs and 65 RBI despite being sidelined twice due to a calf injury. Although he struggled at the start of the season, Benge has been dynamic on the field. He broke the Mets rookie record for hits in a season with 157. He also tallied 19 home runs and 61 RBI. For those reasons he is in the running for the NL Rookie of the Year.
While he has struggled, Ewing has made the most out of his opportunities. He has 107 hits, 40 RBI and 10 home runs in 114 appearances. He tied the Mets rookie record for steals in a single season with 24 and could surpass that mark.
Finding Success
Semien, meanwhile, has produced 104 hits, 14 home runs and 48 RBI in 134 appearances. His defense has provided the Mets with consistency at second base. Still, he was sidelined with an injury earlier this season. His batting has also declined from what he was capable of in the past.
Brandon Nimmo, on the other hand, has found success with the Rangers. He has 148 hits, 34 doubles, 14 home runs and 61 RBI in 149 appearances. His numbers aren’t as high as they were compared to his time with the Mets. Still, he has been productive enough to help the Rangers remain in first place of the AL West. They are 78–78 and a game ahead of the Houston Astros entering the series opener against the Mets.
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