New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader injured his neck and upper back area after crashing into the wall while attempting a catch during Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Nationals.
Manager Carlos Mendoza listed Bader as day-to-day after pulling him from the game in the fourth inning. Brandon Nimmo replaced Bader and contributed two RBIs in New York’s 7-2 victory in 10 innings. This was Nimmo’s first game back since he cut his forehead after fainting and falling in his hotel room on Sunday night.
Mendoza felt confident about putting Nimmo in.
“After going through his pregame routine, Nimmo came to my office and said, ‘I’m good to go,'” Mendoza recalled. “When he saw Bader’s play, he immediately started getting ready, so he was prepared and we saw the results.”
Bader collided with the video screen in right-center field after going back on a ball hit by Jacob Young in the bottom of the third. Although slow to get up, he stayed in the game until Mendoza decided to remove him.
The Mets were also without designated hitter J.D. Martinez due to a sore left ankle.
“He mentioned feeling something last night but didn’t think much of it. Today, he felt the same,” Mendoza said. “When he tried hitting in the cages, it didn’t feel right. Hopefully, it’s just a day or two. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
Martinez explained to reporters that he wore new cleats Monday due to a delayed shipment and woke up with a sore ankle on Tuesday morning.
Bader, 30, is hitting .273 with six home runs and 31 RBIs in his first season with the Mets after signing a one-year, $10.5 million contract in January. Last season, he split his time between the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds and previously played several seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals.