New York Mets' Mark Canha: "Selfishly, I Would Like Brandon Nimmo Back"
New York Mets outfielder Mark Canha doesn't want his teammate Brandon Nimmo to leave the club via free agency.
After spending his first seven big league seasons in the Big Apple, Nimmo is a free agent, free to sign with any team he chooses. The Mets extended a $19.65 million qualifying offer to Nimmo, but he declined it, opting to test the open market.
Canha was asked by an SNY reporter this week just how important it would be for the Mets to bring Nimmo back.
"I mean, he's a phenomenal talent," Canha said. "I really just appreciate him as a teammate and as a person. He's a great center fielder, a great leadoff guy. I wish the best for him, but selfishly, I would like him back."
Canha hit free agency last winter, after spending his first seven Major League seasons with the Oakland Athletics. Canha signed a two-year, $26.5 million contract last November.
Nimmo has been a steady presence in the Mets lineup, when he has been healthy. Since his 2016 MLB debut, he has a career .269 Batting Average, .385 On Base Percentage and .827 OPS.
As a 29-year-old center fielder coming off a season with a 5.1 WAR, he will be hotly pursued by a number of teams on the open market this winter.
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