Mets keep Brandon Nimmo in New York on huge deal

Brandon Nimmo, the best outfielder in free agency after Aaron Judge, agreed to return to the New York Mets on a massive contract.

The New York Mets have been active at the Winter Meetings, agreeing to terms to free agents like Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana. They did, however, lose ace Jacob deGrom, who left for the Texas Rangers on a five-year, $185 million contract. After the MLB Winter Meetings ended, the Mets prevented another one of their top players from leaving in free agency.

According to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Mets and outfielder Brandon Nimmo agreed to terms on an eight-year, $162 million contract. The deal also includes a no-trade clause.

Brandon Nimmo, Mets agree to huge eight-year contract

Nimmo was the top outfielder available in free agency behind Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge. After Judge agreed to terms on a nine-year, $360 million deal to return to the Yankees, all eyes were on Nimmo. There were teams such as the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners linked to Nimmo’s services.

This past season, Nimmo recorded a .274 batting average, a .367 on-base percentage, a .433 slugging percentage, 16 home runs, 64 RBI, 102 runs scored, and 159 RBI. Nimmo led the National League in triples recorded with seven.

Bringing Nimmo back is great for the Mets, considering the lack of top-tier center field options available behind him. He did, after all, make one of the more impressive catches this past season at the expense of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Mets may have lost deGrom, but owner Steve Cohen managed to keep Nimmo and closer Edwin Diaz. Now, the baseball world waits to see what else the Mets owner has up his sleeve this offseason.