Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo received a break Monday, and it wasn't in his hand.
Nimmo left Sunday's game against the Dodgers in the seventh inning after getting hit on the pinkie finger of his right hand two innings earlier. X-rays taken Sunday came back negative, but Nimmo went for a precautionary MRI Monday morning. He said the MRI revealed no broken bones and he described his status as day-to-day. He said he doesn't expect a trip to the disabled list.
"Big-time [relief]," Nimmo said. "Yesterday when it hit, I wasn't sure. There's so many little bones in your hand, so many little things that can happen, so no, this is a huge relief. Now I'm just eager to be getting the strength back and hopefully it won't be too long."
Nimmo isn't in the starting lineup Monday against the Pirates and said he's been doing grip exercises to test the strength and the pain in his finger. He hopes to work up to swinging a bat Monday but wasn't sure if that would be possible.
"It depends on how well I'm feeling when I go through these grip exercises," Nimmo said. "So we'll know fairly soon if I get to a bat today and if I do, that's really encouraging.
"Whenever I can swing that bat normally, I'll be ready to go again."
Nimmo has been one of the few bright spots on a Mets team struggling offensively and to find wins. After getting the opportunity to play more following injuries to Yoenis Cespedes, Jay Bruce and Juan Lagares, Nimmo is hitting .280 and has six home runs and 13 RBIs in June.
The 2011 first-round selection is no stranger to being hit by pitches. He has been plunked 12 times, including twice on Sunday. He leads the Mets with a .403 on-base percentage and said he doesn't plan to change his approach at the plate when he's able to return.
"If I try to change something, it's not as simple as changing where you stand on the plate or changing something in your setup," Nimmo said. "That affects your swing and honestly with the way my swing has been, I don't plan on changing anything any time soon."
But Nimmo is feeling positive after Monday's test results and the fact that he no longer is wearing a splint or any protective padding on his right hand.
"I was really encouraged when I woke up this morning, the swelling wasn't bad," Nimmo said. "There wasn't any discoloration. I think we really dodged a bullet here."
