Inside The Mets

Jesse Winker Reunion Viewed as Possibility For Mets

The New York Mets could be open to re-signing fan-favorite outfielder Jesse Winker.

Grant Young

Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (3) reacts after the loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs to advance to the World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (3) reacts after the loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs to advance to the World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
In this story:

Many New York Mets fans likely expected that outfielder Jesse Winker would only be in Queens for the rest of the 2024 season when he was traded from the Washington Nationals on July 28.

That may still end up being the case, as Winker is currently an unrestricted free agent. It seems that many members of the baseball community that the 31-year-old veteran will sign with another team, as a December 28 article from MLB.com asserted that he's a "realistic" free agency fit for the Cincinnati Reds and a January 6 article from Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter projected that Winker would be batting second for the Toronto Blue Jays on Opening Day 2025.

But perhaps the Mets shouldn't be counted out when it comes to a potential reunion with the fan-favorite outfielder. This is the sentiment that SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino shared in a January 7 article.

"If the Mets decide to add a bat before Opening Day, they could sign an outfielder or DH-type. Jesse Winker is a possibility to return," Martino wrote.

While Winker struggled on offense during his time with the Mets (shown by his .243 average and .683 OPS in 115 at-bats), he produced a much stronger first half of the season. His career .804 regular season OPS shows that he's typically a better hitter than his time with New York.

Winker's infectious clubhouse presence can't be quantified by statistics but was extremely apparent down the stretch and in the playoffs last season. It's another factor the Mets could consider when deciding to pursue him this offseason.

Regardless of where he ends up, Winker made an impact on the Mets' miraculous 2024 season.

Published
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

Home/News