PORT ST. LUCIE — Brandon Nimmo is now back in action for the Mets, thanks in part to some new shoes. The Mets outfielder played in his first Grapefruit League game of the season Friday after getting the go-ahead from the training staff. While he’s still being cautious to avoid aggravating the plantar fasciitis in his left foot, a shoe switch over the winter has Nimmo on track.
Nimmo went in search of answers for the painful condition this winter, previously opening up about the numerous treatments he received to bring down the inflammation in the fascia, the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot supporting the arch. His previous shoes were stretching the fascia in a detrimental way.
The first switch he made was to a barefoot type of training shoe for his workouts and for batting practice. It’s a lightweight, flexible training shoe with a wide toe box that allows him to spread out his toes.
But the cleats are key for Nimmo, who switched to wearing Marucci’s brand new baseball cleats after previously wearing Under Armour and New Balance. Marucci only entered the footwear realm recently, releasing their first baseball cleats in December. The company tapped a former Nike employee who worked with track athletes on custom shoes to help with the engineering and construction of the cleats, something Nimmo found intriguing. If he continues to wear them, he’ll likely be among the first to do so in the big leagues.
The new cleats also have a wider toe box and lighter cleat plate. Much like the barefoot shoes, they’re more lightweight and allow for more natural flexion of the foot, which helps with running. The stability helps at the plate.
“So far, so good,” Nimmo told the Daily News. “I tried them out and I’m really liking them so far.”
Now 31, Nimmo has a history of injuries, but has worked with the training staff and utilized their technology to stay on the field. He hopes the new kicks will keep him there as well.
PARADA’S NEW LOOK
Mets catching prospect Kevin Parada dropped weight over the winter, hoping that a leaner, more athletic build will help him at the plate and behind it. But it’s the signature specs he used to wear that have him looking different in spring training this year.
Parada has done away with the glasses, opting for contacts after talking to a doctor. Glasses are recommended for hitting a target that doesn’t move, but a baseball that moves at about 90-100 MPH and can dart and dive all over the place. Contacts make it easier for the eye to track a moving target.
Parada, 23, hasn’t developed as quickly as he or the Mets had hoped. Coming off a challenging season with Double-A Binghamton, he was both frustrated and encouraged. He hit just .214 with a .663 OPS in 115 games last season, feeling humbled at times, but also coming away driven to fix the mechanical issues he and the Mets identified at the plate.
“I think there’s something to having some struggle throughout the minor leagues,” Parada said. “In my case, last year was a very tough year, and I think I think it was good for me because I might not have looked at things the same had I been a little more successful in different areas. Or maybe I might not have been aware of like, ‘Hey, here’s a here’s a flaw that could really hurt me at an even higher level.’”
Parada has been using the Mets’ new hitting lab since last fall. There, the team used biomechanical technology to diagnose the mechanics of his swing. The leg kick is still there to get power, but his hand path and hips have changed.
Much like Francisco Alvarez, Parada’s hips have a tendency to “spin out.” The lab is helping him eliminate it.
Last year, he bulked up, thinking more strength would help him hit more home runs, but that wasn’t the case. He’s down about 15 pounds and feeling more mobile. Defensively, it should help with pop times; offensively, it should help with his swing.
“The biggest thing that happened this offseason that I was really excited about is feeling a lot more comfortable in my body and how I’m moving,” he said. “I feel like it’s going to translate.”
QUICK HITTERS
– It’s been one animal adventure after another for outfielder Tyrone Taylor this spring. He drove his two dobermans, Ava and Thor, from his Phoenix-area home to Port St. Lucie for the first time. Recently, they came across an unexpected visitor in the backyard of the rental home he and his family are staying in during camp: a snake. Luckily, the snake was not of a venomous variety.
– The Mets traveled across the state for a two-game, Gulf coast swing Saturday, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 in Port Charlotte. Right-hander Blade Tidwell threw two shutout innings, including an immaculate second inning (nine pitches, nine strikes and three strikeouts). The eighth-ranked prospect in the Mets’ system touched 99 in his second Grapefruit League start.
– Infielder Luisangel Acuña was removed from the game after being hit by a pitch by Shane McClanahan. He left the game, but manager Carlos Mendoza said the trainers are not concerned.
– Kodai Senga will make his first Grapefruit League start of the season next week. The right-hander will throw one inning and simulate more in the bullpen.