Should the Mets Bring Back This Free Agent Slugger?

One of the Mets' trade deadline acquisitions and best playoff performers will be a free agent.

Oct 18, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets left fielder Jesse Winker (3) reacts after hitting an RBI triple during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

As the New York Mets enter a pivotal offseason, one of the questions they need to answer is who will be their primary designated hitter.

Throughout the postseason, the Mets used a DH platoon of J.D. Martinez and Jesse Winker against left-handed and right-handed pitchers, respectively; both Martinez and Winker were playing on one-year contracts and will be free agents once the World Series ends. The former had been signed by the Mets during the 2023-24 offseason, while the latter was a trade deadline acquisition from the Washington Nationals.

It appears likely that the Mets will let the 37-year-old Martinez walk, but what about Winker?

The 31-year-old bounced back from a miserable 2023 season by hitting .253/.360/.405 with 23 doubles, 14 home runs, 45 RBI, and a 118 wRC+. Winker was primarily used against right-handed pitching throughout the season, with just 89 at-bats and a .674 OPS against southpaws, as opposed to 341 at-bats and a .788 OPS against righties.

When the Mets traded for Winker at the deadline, he initially struggled with his new team by recording a .616 OPS and just two extra-base hits in his first 17 games. However, after hitting a pinch-hit, walk-off home run against the Baltimore Orioles on August 21, the lefty broke out of his slump and logged a .735 OPS and 111 wRC+ over his last 27 games of the year. Although Winker's overall numbers with the Mets were worse than what he put up with the Nationals (.243/.318/.365 with New York, .257/.374/.419 with Washington), he made up for this with an outstanding postseason performance.

In 10 playoff games and 32 plate appearances, Winker slashed a monstrous .318/.531/.636 with a 224 wRC+. Three of his seven hits went for extra bases (two triples and a home run), while he drew seven walks against only four strikeouts; he additionally scored seven runs and drove in four. Although he did split time with Martinez (who was generally ineffective), Winker's excellent hitting was a key component to the Mets' deep playoff run.

It is still worth mentioning that Winker's extreme splits against right-handed and left-handed pitching limit his use as a full-time player, in addition to his poor 2022 and 2023 seasons raising questions about whether he can sustain the promising form he showed in 2024.

At the same time, Winker still has legitimate pedigree as a hitter, courtesy of an All-Star campaign in 2021 that saw him hit .305/.394/.556 in 110 games with the Cincinnati Reds; if the lefty can further build off his 2024 season, perhaps he can also come closer to reaching that 2021 form, which is a bat that any team would love in their lineup.

In the end, it would make sense for the Mets to bring back Winker and have him experience a full season in Queens. While there is some risk involved due to his righty-lefty splits and 2023 cratering, the potential reward would be a significant boon to New York's already strong batting order.