New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo set to return against Red Sox

Following his first and only spring training game on February 28th, Nimmo reported soreness in his right knee. His MRI came back clean but the injury limited his ability to run full speed without discomfort, so the Mets took a cautious approach with his return. Nimmo received a gel injection in his knee last Friday and returned to baseball activity on Monday after a weekend of rest.

The Mets have dealt with the injury bug all spring, so Nimmo's return provides some rare good news on that front. The club recently lost Francisco Alvarez for 6-8 weeks with a broken hamate bone in his left hand, and have been without starting pitchers Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas.

Nimmo's return will bolster the lineup as the team gears up for Opening Day. Last week, a report by Jon Heyman revealed that the 31-year-old would begin the season alternating with Mark Vientos between the four and the five spot in the lineup. The expectation is that Nimmo will bat fourth against right-handed pitching, while Vientos will be in the cleanup spot against lefties.

Last season, the veteran outfielder slashed .224/.327/.399 with 23 home runs and 90 RBI. He dealt with plantar fasciitis that worsened as the season went on, affecting his play in the second half of the season and into the postseason. Nimmo previously admitted that he expects to spend some time in the DH role as he works back from the foot injury; now with a nagging knee issue, it is even more likely that the Mets would look to slowly reintegrate Nimmo defensively.

Nimmo has been outspoken about the importance of health when it comes to the Mets' season aspirations. In an interview with Heyman and Joel Sherman, the nine-season veteran called the Mets a top-five offense "on paper" so long as they are all healthy.

Nimmo's health will be worth monitoring as the Mets take on the Boston Red Sox on Thursday; first pitch is at 1:10 PM EST.