Nimmo has put 14 balls into play in five games and nine have been hit hard. He’s shown improved power these last couple of years, and it doesn’t seem to have gone anywhere this season. It’s a big part of why he’s now batting cleanup, rather than leadoff.

The Yankees used major leaguers up until the ninth, when they brought in Jordany Ventura. Nimmo took advantage, hitting his first homer in his final at-bat of the spring. He played all nine innings in left field today, so his troublesome knee must be feeling pretty good. He’ll likely spend some time at DH early on this season, but the Mets would certainly prefer to have Jesse Winker there and Nimmo in left field most days.

Nimmo has been relegated to designated hitter since returning from his knee injury, but he’s feeling well enough to play in the field for the Grapefruit League contest Monday. It’s a great sign that he’s back in the grass that soon, and there’s a good chance Nimmo could be playing in the outfield early in the regular season.

Nimmo added that he believes the lingering soreness in his right knee is related to meniscus and cartilage issues, possibly related to an ACL surgery he underwent roughly 15 years ago. He received a gel injection earlier this month to address the issue and will continue to manage the issue throughout the year. At this point, it’s unclear when he’ll be ready to play left field again, but it might not be for a couple weeks, if not longer.