Mets‘ painful Brandon Nimmo sacrifice makes perfect sense

Baseball seasons, like elections, have penalties. And so the uber-makeover by the Mets started with a blockbuster — the shock alternate of stars that despatched the beloved Brandon Nimmo to Texas in a straight-up deal for Marcus Semien.

Sentiment is out the window following a disastrous 2025 Mets season during which they memorably and pathetically didn’t beat out the tiny-market Cincinnati Reds for the ultimate playoff spot. So Nimmo was sacrificed within the identify of protection and right-handedness.

Nimmo will likely be recalled for his clutch hits, constant hustle and infectious enthusiasm, and for fairly a while. However on paper, this deal makes excellent sense for a workforce that’s determined to get higher glovework — upon the story breaking round dinnertime Sunday, the very first thing one Mets higher-up talked about was Semien’s Gold Glove at second base (which differentiated him from each Met in ’25) — and never be so lefty-swinging heavy.

As a lot as all of us hate to see Nimmo go, and that features teammates, followers and writers, although I’m unsure in what order — Nimmo texted “I’ll miss you, too” proper after the commerce hit X — the swap makes full sense. Nimmo was nonetheless a strong defender in left discipline although he’s slipped some, whereas Semien stays among the many greatest with the glove. Plus, Semien bats right-handed, which helps start balancing the lopsided lineup.