New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo produced a .263/.404/.483 line over 140 games in 2018, resulting in a 149 wRC+ and a 4.5 fWAR. Simply put, he was easily one of the most productive and underrated hitters in baseball. Nimmo has missed most of the 2019 season due to a neck injury, but has recorded a .377 on-base percentage in his 59 games played. A left-handed hitter and capable defender at all outfield positions, Nimmo is a player who would fit perfectly with the White Sox.
Why should the White Sox pursue Nimmo?
Brandon Nimmo provides a lot of what the White Sox are missing: he is a left-handed bat, a competent outfield defender, an extremely patient hitter, an on-base machine, and a solid right fielder. I have been working on my offseason overview for potential White Sox trade/free agency targets, and while there are many potential acquisitions for right field, none of them check as many boxes as Nimmo. The questions, of course, are whether the Mets would trade him, and at what cost.
Catch probability: 50%
Distance needed: 74 ft
Opportunity time: 4.4 sec@You_Found_Nimmo can run 'em down. pic.twitter.com/NjvUTccBw7— New York Mets (@Mets) May 9, 2019
Why would the Mets trade Nimmo?
The Mets, much unlike the White Sox, are loaded with left-handed hitting corner outfielders. Michael Conforto has a better track record than Nimmo, and he also may find himself in trade talks this offseason. Jeff McNeil plays all over the diamond, but is another all-star who spends a lot of time in the corner outfield spots. Dom Smith is still an intriguing prospect as a hitter, and the emergence of Pete Alonso has relegated him to a corner outfield/pinch hit role. And while he is not a lefty, J.D. Davis has been an exceptional hitter who often plays in left field.
The Mets may be forced to trade at least one of the above players this offseason, and the most obvious candidates for a trade are Conforto, controlled through the 2021 season, and Nimmo, who is controlled through the 2022 campaign.
Imagine thinking @You_Found_Nimmo wouldn't come through. pic.twitter.com/WTyQcI0FQf
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 18, 2019
What might Nimmo cost?
Having too many good players has never hurt a team before, so the Mets would still need to have a reason to trade away three seasons of Nimmo this winter. The challenge the White Sox will face in trade talks is that trading for controllable players is difficult when there is such a steep drop-off between your untouchable prospects (Luis Robert, Andrew Vaughn, and Nick Madrigal) and your depth pieces.
The good news, however, is that the Mets have an unconventional front office and have made some weird trades lately. A trade for Nimmo, whose lack of durability may somewhat hinder his market, is at least a possibility for the White Sox. Here’s what I would propose:
White Sox receive: OF Brandon Nimmo (controlled through 2022 season), the contract of OF Yoenis Cespedes (expires after 2020 season), and cash
Mets receive: RHP Jonathan Stiever, OF Luis Alexander Basabe, and LHP Kodi Medeiros
I feel like this is a trade proposal that both fanbases will dislike. For White Sox fans who have grown attached to Stiever, I understand that trading from limited minor league starting pitching depth may be frightening, but the Sox would simply need somebody to headline this deal, and Steele Walker — yet another left-handed hitting outfielder — does not make sense for the Mets, nor does Gavin Sheets, who is limited to first base. The Sox would be selling high on Stiever, something they have not often done with prospects. Regardless, the timing of such a move is a necessary step for a rebuild.
The Mets would be hoping that Basabe returns to form following an injury-plagued season. Medeiros was also very good following his move to the bullpen during the 2019 season. While the package may seem light for three years of Nimmo, Stiever is a borderline top-100 prospect, and the Mets’ propensity for strange trades could be exploited by the White Sox. It’s unclear as to whether Yoenis Cespedes will even play in 2020, but he has $29.5 million remaining on his contract. The White Sox would not pay all of this, which is why they would also receive cash. (Yes, they probably would not take the contract in the first place, but let me dream!)
If the White Sox could pull off such a trade, their only hole on offense (assuming promotions to Robert and Madrigal) would be at designated hitter, for which the team will likely have to peruse the free agent market. Luckily, there are some good options available.
Brandon Nimmo is not the only left-handed hitting right fielder the White Sox can trade for this winter, and I will discuss some others in my aforementioned offseason overview. He is, however, a perfect fit for the White Sox and is controlled for three more seasons. If the Mets begin to sell some pieces, the White Sox should absolutely call them about Nimmo.
Featured Photo: @Mets (Twitter)
I like the deal, it will be interesting to see what the Sox upper management does. Please don’t be all talk and hype but no action
The Mets really like Nimmo, and right or wrong (probably wrong), are in win-now mode. Can’t see them subtracting from the MLB roster like this for a bunch of mid-level prospects, even if they’re dumping Cespedes (full NTC, btw).
The only way I could see them moving Nimmo is for a solid starting pitcher or a dependable late(r)-inning reliever. But as it stands, Dom Smith is the more likely guy to be traded. He didn’t take too well to left field, and like you said, it blocked by Alonso at first.
Conforto will be a starting outfielder, McNeil will start everyday somewhere in the OF or IF, and Nimmo/Davis fill in the rest. Cespedes may be healthy, but even if he is will probably be babied because of the significant leg/ankle issues, so he’s not really an everyday starter anywmore.
https://twitter.com/NYPost_Mets/status/1174566046956752897
I would have liked to see the Sox try for Nick Castellanos this past trade deadline. One puzzle piece they wouldn’t have to worry about this off season. Contact hitter, decent foelder with a good arm. We take too many first and sometimes second pitches for strikes and then swing at pitches out of the strike zone.Castellanos is aggressive in the strike zone wboch they need.
Brandon Nimmo does check many of the boxes the White Sox would seek in a much needed left-handed hitter this offseason. He is a disciplined hitter that has manifested itself with a high OBP as a professional. Nimmo can also generate decent power numbers. He is an outfielder which is also the most likely area for the White Sox to target for their need. Nimmo’s age fits the rebuild well at 26 (27 next March) as does his 3 remaining years of team control which includes first time arbitration eligibility this coming season. He would also be an excellent addition to the White Sox clubhouse as the Mets version of the ever-smiling and happy Eloy Jimenez.
There are also some negatives to consider as well. First and foremost is the injury he suffered which caused him to miss most of the 2019 season. He ran into the outfield wall in Atlanta this past April and was ultimately diagnosed with whiplash and a bulging disc in his neck which he aggravated later during his rehab. If this develops into a chronic condition that continually affects his spine it would be a huge negative. Another concern is his label as a defensive ‘tweener’ in the outfield which is OK so far as CF is concerned with Luis Robert as the heir apparent there. The issue with Nimmo playing a corner is that he is best suited for LF since he possesses a ‘fringy’ arm in RF. The White Sox are already set in LF with Jimenez who figures to stay there at least for the first few years of his career before a switch to DH or 1B might be necessitated. Overall, I like the suggestion of Nimmo as a trade target but would hardly consider him a “perfect fit”.
My preference would be someone like Alex Verdugo from the Dodgers who checks more boxes than Nimmo and might be available since LA, like NY, also has a seeming abundance of left-handed hitting OF’s on its roster heading into the offseason. Like Nimmo, Verdugo also had an injury this past season that he is still recovering from, one that could potentially be a cause for concern going forward. Verdugo has an aggressive swing that has created back issues in the past which resulted in an oblique strain this past August that will keep him sidelined at least through the NLDS.
That said Verdugo shares some of the positives that Nimmo has including a high OBP and decent SLG numbers. Where Verdugo excels at with his bat is his much higher BA potential. That number helps drive his OBP whereas Nimmo’s is elevated by more BB’s. But Nimmo’s walks also come at the expense of more SO’s which Verdugo has managed to avoid throughout his pro career with superior contact skills.
On the defensive side, Verdugo can also ‘handle’ all three OF spots like Nimmo but has a cannon arm that will play very nicely in RF for the White Sox. Verdugo is still just 23, turning 24 in May, which makes him nearly 3 years younger than Nimmo. He also has two extra years of team control, won’t be arbitration eligible until 2022 and can’t become a free agent until 2025. Of course all these extra ‘perks’ would cost the White Sox more in any trade discussions but Rick Hahn should at least kick the tires on Verdugo this winter like he did with teammate Joc Pederson last winter.
Nimmo would be a great fit, and taking on the Cespedes contract is creative, but for 2020, J.D. Davis will likely move to 3B with Frazier gone as that’s his true position, so the Mets will not be squeezed in the outfield and are unlikely to subtract from their major league roster. The Sox do need a lefty outfielder and there is only one out there that is readily available and would not cost prospects: Corey Dickerson. Not a great fielder and probably out of position in RF, but he OPS-ed .906 this year, which would be second to Moncada on the 2018 Sox.
On pitching side, now is the time to spend to get Gerrit Cole, but it is unlikely. My next choice would be Michael Wacha, who is also a free agent. Perhaps also kick the tires on Rich Hill as a lefty swing man FA; would work well as an opener/long reliever for Cease and Lopez because of contrast. That leaves DH & a good bullpen arm if you assume Madrigal & Robert come up after a few weeks. I would suggest trades for the last $21MM year of Shin Soo Choo for a lefty that sees a lot of pitches to get into opponents bullpens earlier and the last $16.5MM year of Ian Kennedy from Royals. Because of their contracts, neither should require giving up too much.
https://www.metro.us/sports/bet/cespedes-cano-could-throw-wrench-mets-2020-plans
Ted Voight: There is little doubt that Nicholas Castellanos offers a solid bat to any lineup. His problem has always been with the glove. The Tigers moved him off of 3B because his defense was poor and he hasn’t fared much better in the OF. Because of this I do expect him to sign with an AL team this offseason in free agency where he can DH as well as continue playing some outfield.
Due to his poor glove Castellanos would not be a great fit with the White Sox in RF. They already have defensively challenged Eloy Jimenez playing LF. Luis Robert will have enough challenges when he makes his MLB debut with the White Sox next season. He doesn’t need the additional burden of covering more CF because of the teammates flanking him in the OF.
Ideally, the White Sox should be seeking a left-handed hitter to help balance off a lineup that leans heavily right-handed. More than likely that new bat figures to be their next right-fielder. That was the point of this article and also the focus of my original comment here. If the White Sox find the trade cost too prohibitive for the likes of Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto or Alex Verdugo they can sign left-handed hitting FA Corey Dickerson this offseason as a platoon option in RF. If they don’t particularly care for Dickerson’s defense, especially in RF, the White Sox might be better off turning to FA Yasiel Puig this winter. Like Castellanos, he would give the White Sox yet another solid right-handed bat but at least Puig is a natural right-fielder who also happens to possess a cannon for an arm.
With Jose Abreu almost certain to return next season and for a couple of additional years beyond that I would be less apprehensive about adding Puig’s tempestuous personality to the White Sox clubhouse. I don’t believe Puig would be a mean-spirited presence like the cancerous Milton Bradley was. I just think he lets his emotions get the batter of him sometimes. With Abreu aboard to act a quasi big brother along with a manager in Rick Renteria who has hispanic roots I wouldn’t anticipate Puig to be a problem child like he was early on with the Dodgers. I believe Puig has mellowed some the past couple of season in LA, Cincinnati and now Cleveland, at least in regards to his own teammates if not his opponents. lol
In my world there’s nothing wrong with having a player like A.J. Pierzynski on your own team’s roster. We have already seen a little bit of that with Tim Anderson and I find that refreshing. Adding Puig to the mix would give the White Sox another spirited presence to say nothing of his bat in the middle of the lineup along with his strong arm in RF. The White Sox could do worse than Puig and would also hold a virtual corner on the Cuban market when it comes to talented players. The White Sox tried to lure FA Manny Machado last offseason by cornering the market with his friends and family. Perhaps adding Puig to a roster chock full of other talented Cubans like Abreu, Robert and Yoan Moncada would prove to be a more successful strategy. Nick Gaur already suggested the White Sox take on Yoenis Cespedes’ $29.5MM expiring contract to help facilitate his Brandon Nimmo trade proposal with the Mets. Why not just bring in a far more useful and healthy Puig who can probably be signed for at least two seasons at that dollar figure?
No doubt Nick Castellanos is a solid hitter. He defense is another matter altogether. Castellanos was poor at 3B and not much better in the OF with the Tigers. Because of this I do expect him to sign with an AL team this offseason in free agency where he can DH as well as continue playing some outfield.
Because of his poor glove Castellanos would not be a great fit with the White Sox who already have defensively challenged Eloy Jimenez in LF. Luis Robert will have enough challenges when he makes his MLB debut with the White Sox next season. He doesn’t need the additional burden of covering more CF because of the teammates flanking him in the OF.
Ideally, the White Sox should be seeking a left-handed hitter to help balance off a lineup that leans heavily right-handed. More than likely that new bat figures to be their next right-fielder. That was the point of this article and also the focus of my original comment here. If the White Sox find the trade cost too prohibitive for the likes of Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto or Alex Verdugo they can sign left-handed hitting FA Corey Dickerson this offseason as a platoon option in RF. If they don’t particularly care for Dickerson’s defense, especially in RF, the White Sox might be better off turning to FA Yasiel Puig this winter. Like Castellanos, he would give the White Sox yet another solid right-handed bat but at least Puig is a natural right-fielder who also happens to possess a cannon for an arm.
With Jose Abreu almost certain to return next season and for a couple of additional years beyond that I would be less apprehensive about adding Puig’s tempestuous personality to the White Sox clubhouse. I don’t believe Puig would be a mean-spirited presence like the cancerous Milton Bradley was. I just think he lets his emotions get the batter of him sometimes. With Abreu aboard to act a quasi big brother along with a manager in Rick Renteria who has hispanic roots I wouldn’t anticipate Puig to be a problem child like he was early on with the Dodgers. I believe Puig has mellowed some the past couple of season in LA, Cincinnati and now Cleveland, at least in regards to his own teammates if not his opponents. lol
In my world there’s nothing wrong with having a player like A.J. Pierzynski on your own team’s roster. We have already seen a little bit of that with Tim Anderson and I find that refreshing. Adding Puig to the mix would give the White Sox another spirited presence to say nothing of his bat in the middle of the lineup along with his strong arm in RF. The White Sox could do worse than Puig and would also hold a virtual corner on the Cuban market when it comes to talented players. The White Sox tried to lure FA Manny Machado last offseason by cornering the market with his friends and family. Perhaps adding Puig to a roster chock full of other talented Cubans like Abreu, Robert and Yoan Moncada would prove to be a more successful strategy. Nick Gaur already suggested the White Sox take on Yoenis Cespedes’ $29.5MM expiring contract to help facilitate his Brandon Nimmo trade proposal with the Mets. Why not just bring in a far more useful and healthy Puig who can probably be signed for at least two seasons at that dollar figure?
I say let’s get crazy with it and ask what it would take for syndergaard and Nimmo. I would offer reynaldo Lopez, carlos rodon, dunning/stiever, adolfo/basabe, and bush/colome. Who would says no? Reason for this is rodon has 2 years left on entry level deal and represented by boras so he is not coming back and wont be coming back until next year all star break. Lopez is a quality guy who would be a 3 on any other team and has 4 years of control left. Everything else is to sweeten the pot. Syndergaard only has 2 years left on his contract and the mets were already looking to trade him. We would have giolito, cease, kopech, Syndergaard, and left hand free agent (Bumgarner). Pick up Grandal to split time with McCann and DH. Boom you got a team good enough to make a serious run at the world series. Good balance in the lineup and good mixer of veterans to rookies on the staff. What do you think Nik?