MILWAUKEE -- Brandon Nimmo didn't need to add to his on-base streak Friday to provide some early value for the Mets.
Half an inning after grounding out to snap his streak at a career-best eight plate appearances, Nimmo made a diving catch to rob Christian Yelich of a hit in the bottom of the first of a 4-3 Mets loss at Miller Park. With an 18-percent catch probability, according to Statcast™ data, it was a five-star grab.
Batting with the bases empty and one out in the first, Yelich hit a 102.8-mph screamer to left, where Nimmo sprinted to his right and laid out to grab it. Nimmo made a similar diving catch -- albeit a less difficult one -- in the eighth inning of Monday's win over the Marlins.
Most major defensive metrics paint Nimmo as a roughly league-average outfielder, which is partially why the Mets have used him in left and Michael Conforto in center, instead of vice versa. But he has demonstrated a recent propensity for highlight-reel catches, much as he has shown marked improvement at the plate. Entering Friday's play, Nimmo boasted a .450 on-base percentage, best in the Majors among players with at least 100 plate appearances.