The New York Mets traded longtime outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien on Sunday. The 32-year-old was the longest-tenured Met and had signed an eight-year, $162 million contract in 2022.
Nimmo took to Instagram to deliver a heartfelt goodbye to New York’s fans on Monday.
“To the fans I'II always hold near and dear:,” Nimmo posted.
“There is truly no way I could adequately put into words how much my tenure with the Mets has meant to me. All I can say is thank you. Thank you Mets fans for embracing and welcoming a kid from Cheyenne, Wyoming to the Big Apple. I always aspired to become a big leaguer—I never knew I'd have the opportunity to accomplish that dream in a city so wildly passionate about the game of baseball. The last 14 years have felt like a dream, and it has been an absolute honor to share them with you. You made me feel like family, and I hope you felt the same. I will always be grateful for our time and memories together. With love, always.”
Drafted by the Mets in 2011, Nimmo was one of the club’s most popular players among fans. Still, president of baseball operations, David Stearns, ultimately decided that the franchise had to make the exchange.
“It was something we had to think about, no question,” Stearns told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “That certainly makes decisions like this a little bit more challenging than they otherwise would be. But at the end of the day, I still felt like this was the right decision for the organization.”
It remains to be seen how the trade will age from New York’s perspective.
