Mets' Brandon Nimmo has one big request for Steve Cohen

Will Sammon of The Athletic reported on Monday that veteran New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo has recently "lobbied owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns for additions" ahead of the July 30 MLB trade deadline.

"Any chance that I get, I kind of throw that in there," Nimmo told Sammon.

Roughly one month ago, many within MLB assumed the then-struggling Mets would make multiple out-of-contract veterans available to other clubs before the end of this month. However, 44-45 New York began Tuesday only two-and-a-half games back in the battle for the National League's final wild-card playoff berth.

While the Mets went 4-4 on their latest road trip, they suffered multiple losses across that stretch of games that showed they still badly need bullpen help even after closer Edwin Diaz returned from his sticky-stuff suspension. It's unclear what prospects Stearns would be willing to trade to land such an arm before the final Tuesday of July.

"We haven’t been able to lock down wins all the time," Nimmo acknowledged following Monday's 8-2 loss at the Pittsburgh Pirates that featured another meltdown from New York's bullpen. "And that’s a problem. But we’re hoping to address it. We’re hoping to continue to get better at it. We know we went on a streak there where we did a lot better. So we know it’s in there, but it’s a problem. There’s no question."

The Mets open a three-game home series versus the 42-49 Washington Nationals on Tuesday evening. New York then welcomes the 32-59 Colorado Rockies to Queens for a three-game tilt that gets underway on Friday.

For better or for worse, the next week should offer the current Mets squad an opportunity to show Cohen and Stearns what they are and/or aren't.

Nimmo and shortstop Francisco Lindor have received praise for emerging as leaders for a team that was floundering in late May. Lindor hopes the Mets getting back to above .500 before the All-Star break begins this coming Sunday night could convince Cohen to buy instead of sell this month.

"I know we’re a very analytical team, so they have to run the numbers and see our odds and all this stuff," Lindor added. "But I feel like in the second half, anything can happen."