Nimmo Returns, Mets Offense Held in Check in Loss to Red Sox

David Peterson got ambushed for a home run by David Hamilton on the first pitch of the game, and the Mets’ offense couldn’t get on the scoreboard until the eighth inning as they dropped Thursday’s game to the Red Sox, 3-2.

Peterson allowed an unearned run after a Brett Baty and an Abraham Toro double in the second inning, but retired seven of the last nine hitters he faced before being pulled in the fourth inning. While Peterson struck out just one batter, he generated 10 whiffs on 26 swings in 3 2/3 innings.

Baty played seven innings at second base, and has a chance to win the Opening Day job at the position after Jeff McNeil suffered an oblique strain.

Edwin Díaz tossed a scoreless inning and struck out Triston Casas, but the right-hander’s fastball velocity was noticeably down, averaging 95 miles per hour, maxing out at 96 MPH and bottoming out at 92 MPH on his last heater. Carlos Mendoza said after the game he isn’t concerned and called Díaz’s outing encouraging.

“It’ll come up,” Mendoza said about Díaz’s velocity. “I’m not worried about that.”

A throwing error by Chris Williams cost Huascar Brazobán a run, but the hard-throwing righty struck out four batters in 1 2/3 innings of work. Nick Roselli‘s RBI single in the eighth inning brought the Mets to within a run with nobody out, but they were unable to cash in the tying run and went down in order in the ninth inning.

Player of the Game

After being held out of the lineup for the last two weeks, Brandon Nimmo made his return to the Mets’ lineup, batting second and serving as the designated hitter. In his first trip to the plate, Nimmo roped a single up the middle for his first hit of the spring. The 31-year-old made two more plate appearances, striking out swinging in the third inning and flying out to left field in the sixth inning, before exiting for a pinch-hitter.

Brandon Nimmo with a first inning single ? pic.twitter.com/9GPJHp1ErL

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 13, 2025

There hasn’t been any indication that Nimmo won’t be ready for Opening Day, but if his knee isn’t at full strength, there is a chance he opens the season as a DH, putting Jesse Winker or Starling Marte in left field. With Francisco Alvarez and Jeff McNeil both beginning the season on the injured list, the Mets can ill-afford to lose another everyday player before the season begins. Nimmo played through plantar fasciitis for most of the 2024 season, but was said to be running at over 90% speed before his knee started to bother him.

Up Next

The Mets welcome the Cardinals back to Clover Park on Friday night, with Kodai Senga (0-0, 0.00 ERA) taking the mound against righty Michael McGreevy (0-0, 1.17 ERA). Senga threw two innings in his first start of the spring and threw 50 pitches in a minor league game on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 PM.

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