Rangers' Brandon Nimmo again discusses if alleged clubhouse problems led to trade from Mets

Pockets of New York Mets fans remain convinced that an alleged rift in the clubhouse resulted in team president of baseball operations David Stearns dismantling the core of the club's roster this past offseason. 

This included trading outfielder and homegrown talent Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. Nimmo and star shortstop Francisco Lindor have since insisted that a report claiming they didn't get along due to political differences was inaccurate. 

While speaking with reporters on Tuesday ahead of the Rangers' game at the New York Yankees, Nimmo again addressed being traded from what had been the only MLB home of his career from 2016 through the 2025 season. 

Brandon Nimmo is convinced that the trade from the Mets to the Rangers was "just a baseball decision"

"I believe it was probably just a baseball decision," Nimmo said about the trade, per Alex Smith of SNY. "Like I said last year and even in these interviews in the spring, I really didn’t see anything wrong with the chemistry between the guys. And if it was happening, I didn’t know about it, so they were keeping it hush-hush, which is kind of tough to do in a clubhouse where you spend most of the day with each other. But from my standpoint, I think it was a baseball decision, and I think it was something that David felt would better the New York Mets and (general manager Chris Young) felt would better the Texas Rangers."

Stearns' controversial moves have made him an enemy among many Mets fans due to the club's woeful start to the ongoing campaign. While the Mets have won three of their last four, they began Wednesday with a record of 13-22.

Brandon Nimmo has this wish for the Mets after the trade

Meanwhile, Nimmo was viewed by many as a potential future Mets captain after he signed an eight-year, $162M contract in December 2022. One couldn't blame him if he was enjoying the current state of the Mets this spring, but he suggested that he's still rooting for his old club.

"I want them to do well," Nimmo said about the Mets. "I’ve played here before when things aren’t going well, and it’s not fun. I wish the best for them, but also, I’m trying to take care of things here and make sure we’re trying to play good baseball here."

Outsiders may never fully know why Stearns basically hit a reset button this past fall. One wonders if he and manager Carlos Mendoza could become the next big names to be shown the door by the Mets if the club continues to lose more than it wins through the end of spring.