Brandon Nimmo left Tuesday night’s 7-4 win over the Diamondbacks after suffering a left ankle sprain while trying to beat out an infield single in the sixth inning.
The Rangers outfielder hit a slow ground ball down the right side and sprinted toward first base. As he reached the bag, he accidentally stepped on the foot of infielder Ildemaro Vargas and landed awkwardly on his ankle. Nimmo was visibly limping afterward and remained in the game briefly before being replaced by pinch-runner Sam Haggerty.
Manager Skip Schumaker said after the game that X-rays came back negative, which was encouraging news for the Rangers. According to Schumaker, Nimmo is currently considered day to day.
Before exiting, Nimmo had been one of the Rangers’ top performers of the night, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple and two singles. Schumaker praised the veteran’s competitiveness, noting that Nimmo strongly resisted being removed from the game and already wants to return as quickly as possible.
The injury comes after Nimmo recently dealt with lingering hamstring tightness over the past few weeks. The Rangers managed the situation carefully by giving him scheduled rest days, allowing him to avoid a stint on the injured list.
Nimmo acknowledged the importance of ensuring the ankle heals properly before returning to action. He explained that the foot and ankle are essential for generating power and speed, and he plans to evaluate how the injury responds over the next few days. If the ankle can be stabilized and managed without increasing the risk of further injury, he hopes to continue playing soon.
Paul Skenes Dominates Rockies in Historic Performance
Paul Skenes delivered another dominant outing Tuesday night, leading the Pirates to a 3-1 victory over the Rockies while flirting with a no-hitter deep into the game.
The Pirates ace overwhelmed Colorado from the opening inning, striking out the first six batters he faced. Skenes retired the first 14 hitters overall before allowing a baserunner in the fifth when Troy Johnston was hit by a pitch.
His no-hit bid lasted into the seventh inning before Mickey Moniak lined a single into left-center field. Center fielder Oneil Cruz nearly made a spectacular diving catch on the play, earning praise from Skenes afterward for the effort.
Skenes finished the night allowing just two hits over eight scoreless innings while striking out 10 batters without issuing a walk. He threw 98 pitches and improved his record to 6-2 on the season.
According to Elias Sports Bureau statistics, Skenes became the first Pirates pitcher in the Expansion Era to strike out the side in order three separate times during a single game. His outing also placed him alongside legends such as Cy Young, Billy Pierce, and Mat Latos as one of the few pitchers in the modern era to record consecutive starts of at least eight scoreless innings while allowing two or fewer hits and no walks.
Despite the dominance, Skenes said he never allowed himself to think too far ahead about a possible no-hitter because the game was still early.
Pirates manager Don Kelly admitted the possibility of a no-hitter crossed his mind as Skenes continued to overpower the Rockies lineup.
The Pirates offense provided enough support with RBI singles from Nick Gonzales, Brandon Lowe, and Bryan Reynolds. Reliever Gregory Soto closed out the ninth inning to secure his fourth save of the season after allowing one run.
The performance followed another brilliant start by Skenes last week against the Diamondbacks, continuing what has become one of the most dominant stretches by any pitcher in baseball this season.
