Rules Of Checkers

WASHINGTON -- New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo missed Monday night's 9-7 win over the Washington Nationals after fainting in his hotel room overnight and hitting his head when he fell.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Nimmo cut his forehead, but did not have a concussion.

"He went through all the tests this morning," Mendoza said. "Wanted to make sure we weren't missing anything. Luckily everything came back negative, so I think we got lucky there."

Nimmo said he woke up not feeling well around 5:15 a.m. He went to the bathroom, cramped up and fainted. When he came to and got up from the floor, he was bleeding from the head and wasn't sure why. He called the Mets' trainers, who went to his room to assist him.

Nimmo went to the hospital Monday for tests, including a CT scan, but arrived at the ballpark before game time and spoke to reporters with a bandage on his forehead. He said as a precaution, he wouldn't be available to play Monday night but hoped to be back in the lineup very soon.

"He's got a pretty big cut," Mendoza said.

Nimmo has been with the Mets for nine seasons. The 31-year-old outfielder is hitting .247 with 13 homers, a team-high 50 RBIs and an .815 OPS in 77 games this season, making him a strong candidate to earn his first All-Star selection this month.

Nimmo hit his 100th career home run and an RBI double Sunday, when the Mets lost 10-5 to Houston in 11 innings.

Jeff McNeil started in left field as New York opened a four-game series against the Nationals.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.