Jesse Winker needed to be again with the Mets.
The eight-year MLB veteran made as a lot clear following final 12 months’s three-month stint with the workforce, which included an unbelievable run to Sport 6 of the NLCS.
“Everything baseball-wise was probably the most fun I’ve had,” Winker mentioned Wednesday. “Being a part of something bigger than yourself is really why you play this game, and the whole experience was incredible. It’s kind of addicting. You want it to happen again and again, so from the outset of the offseason, I was wanting to come back.”
The Mets made that dream a actuality final week, re-signing the lefty-swinging Winker to a one-year, $8 million contract.
Winker, 31, mentioned he expects to fill a “very similar” position to the one he performed final 12 months for the Mets, who alternated him between proper area, left area and designated hitter after buying him in a late-July commerce with the Washington Nationals.
However Winker confirmed Wednesday that he’s “definitely comfortable” taking part in first base, too.
“Whatever’s asked of me, I’ll be ready and I’ll put my best foot forward and give it everything I have,” Winker mentioned.
The Mets, in fact, have a emptiness at first base amid Pete Alonso’s extended free company. The edges have been at an deadlock all offseason, with the Mets’ reported provide of three years within the $70 million vary believed to be removed from what Alonso’s camp is in search of.
Winker has by no means appeared at first base in an MLB recreation, however he mentioned he began studying the place two years in the past throughout a rehab project to boost his defensive flexibility.
He mentioned he mentioned first base with the Mets “a little bit” final 12 months.
“I think I may have even taken ground balls there at some point,” Winker mentioned. “I forget where we were. Maybe Arizona? Just kind of showing that I could work there. But whatever role is asked of me, I’ll do it to the best of my ability.”
Winker hit .243 with three residence runs, 13 RBI and a .683 OPS in 129 plate appearances with the Mets final common season. He heated up through the playoffs, hitting .318 with a house run, 4 RBI and a 1.168 OPS in 32 postseason plate appearances.
The Mets frequently used Winker in the course of their batting order, primarily deploying his left-handed bat towards right-handed pitching.
Their lineup is ready to look a lot totally different this season, with Juan Soto anchoring the offense after signing a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract in December.
“This guy’s one of the best hitters in baseball, if not the best hitter in baseball,” Winker mentioned. “Him being left-handed is really cool for me, personally, just to be able to watch him go about his daily work and his day-in and day-out approach.”
A local of Buffalo, N.Y., Winker spent his first 5 MLB seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, with whom he earned his lone All-Star choice in 2021. He additionally performed for the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers earlier than becoming a member of the Nationals forward of the 2024 season.
Winker arrived in Queens final summer time with a colourful historical past with Mets followers, having waved to the Citi Subject crowd after a game-ending catch in 2019, after which once more after a game-tying three-run residence run in 2022.
However Winker rapidly emerged as a fan favourite who wears his feelings on his sleeve. His second-deck residence run in an NLDS Sport 3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies served as a spotlight of the Mets’ playoff run.
His contract talks with the Mets started to choose up after Christmas, he mentioned.
“Any time you come that close to getting to the World Series, you’re always gonna want to give it another shot,” Winker mentioned. “You’re always gonna be thinking about that, and you never know how close you’re going to be again, so it’s precious. I’m just excited to be here.”
