In 2,958 PA in the majors, Brandon Nimmo has an .825 OPS with a .331 BABIP. That’s pretty good. In his last 29 games, a span of 124 PA, Nimmo has a .303/.387/.541 line. That’s a .928 OPS, one he’s accomplished with a .329 BABIP. The hits aren’t falling in for Nimmo in the last month. Instead, this is what happens when a player hits his lifetime BABIP and adds home runs to his game. He has a 155 wRC+ in this span. Nimmo is still hitting to all fields – one of his HR Tuesday night was to the left of center field.
This stretch, which started when he returned to the lineup after sitting a few games out with a sore quad, has seen him with the following batted-ball distribution:
Pull – 31.4%
Center – 27.9%
Oppo – 40.7
Lifetime, his batted-ball distribution is 35.4%-34.4%-30.2%
So, he’s not getting lucky with the hits falling in and he’s not changing his approach to pull the ball. On the contrary, he’s hitting significantly more balls to the opposite field. From the comfort of my office chair, it appears Nimmo isn’t forcing anything. If the pitcher attacks him on the outside corner, he’s taking the ball to LF. The difference is when they throw a ball middle and in, he’s looking to do damage.
Nimmo has more power than Jeff McNeil, so he’s able to hit homers to center that McNeil likely is unable to do. Still, Nimmo’s mindset is one that hopefully McNeil will embrace. If they pitch you outside, take it the opposite way. Otherwise, look to turn on the ball. All year long, pitchers have been pounding McNeil with balls inside, either strikes or off the plate. And until recently, McNeil for the most part was grounding those balls weakly to the right side.
In his first 105 games of the season, McNeil had a .076 ISO, which is terrible. Or it’s what happens when you beat the ball into the ground on the pull side. In his last 32 games, McNeil has a .155 ISO, thanks to 11 XBH in 129 ABs. That’s a great step forward for McNeil. Yet, it’s hard to believe this is the top of what he can do. Back in 2019, McNeil had 23 XBH in his final 154 ABs. Maybe he’ll never reach those heights again. But that should absolutely be his mindset when pitchers work him inside. Get the bat head out and look to hit the ball in the air a long way.
Extra-base hits are a good thing and something that both Nimmo and McNeil should be eager to provide when given the chance.
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How does Kodai Senga stack up in the NL Cy Young competition so far?
WAR tied for 6th
ERA 3rd
K/9 4th
But he has pitched better and better, so his rankings probably will improve in the last month.
He’s definitely in the Top 10, perhaps 4th now.
It’s curious to me how little buzz Senga has both in Cy Young and ROY balloting. CY is probably out of reach unless Snell implodes but he should be a factor in ROY voting.
While he s a rookie in MLB speak, given he had an accomplished pro career before hand, I think hed need to blow the doors off of a “real” rookie.
Well, Jackie Robinson was an All-Star in the Negro Leagues and won the first ROY despite finishing 3rd in bWAR