Jesse Winker Returning to the Cincinnati Reds? Rumor of a Potential Deal as MLB Hot Stove Heats Up
Nick Kirby and Craig Sandlin discuss the rumor of a potential reunion with Jesse Winker to the Cincinnati Reds, and if he would be a good fit. Mark C. Healey of The Wave Newspaper in New York reported on Monday that Winker “may be close to a deal” with the Reds. Healey is a former writer for the Associated Press.
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Jesse Winker would be a solid piece for the Mets to bring back
The lefty provided a spark to the team after being acquired in July.
By Linda Surovich Nov 30, 2024
Back in 2019, Jesse Winker didn’t endear himself to Mets fans when he hit a game-winning home run against Edwin Díaz and then waved goodbye to the fans in the stands when he took the field the next half inning. In the same series, he was tossed from the game after arguing with the umpire. Citi Field got its revenge when they waved goodbye as he exited the field, and thus started the love/hate relationship between Winker and Mets fans.
The relationship changed for the better when David Stearns acquired him from the Nationals before the Trade Deadline in July. Winker, who after the season said it was a dream come true to play for the New York Mets, seemed to be reinvigorated after the trade. From July 28-August 31 he hit .343/.364/.493 in 73 at bats. His walk-off home run against the Orioles on August 21 and the ensuing brash celebration quickly made him a fan favorite among the fanbase that originally viewed him as a villain.
He further cemented his value with his clutch performance in the playoffs. With the Mets down 2-0 in Game 1 of the Wild Card, he fed off the Brewers’ hate and laced a two-run triple down the line to tie the game in the eventual Mets win. He also scored an insurance run after Pete Alonso’s devastating blow in Game 3 to further demoralize Milwaukee. In the NLDS he went 1-for-4 with the one being a home run in the pivotal Game 3 against the Phillies.
The NLCS was his best series by far when he went 5-for-13 against the Dodgers. Hindsight is always 20/20 but there is that nagging question in fans’ minds of how things might be different if he started over JD Martinez as the team’s DH in Games 3 and 4.
After the season, the 31-year-old spoke glowingly of the team, the organization, the fanbase, and the city itself. He genuinely seemed happy to be in Queens and brought the kind of swagger the fanbase could rally around. However, in his end-of-season press conference, David Stearns’s attitude was more measured about Winker returning, and justifiably so. Winker was dealing with a back injury at the end of the season and had offseason spinal surgery in 2023. Back injuries tend to be tricky for athletes so it is understandable Stearns would want to proceed with caution. From a fan perspective, it is easy to focus on the heroic moments he produced, but it can’t be overlooked he struggled down the stretch. He hit just .071/.250/.143 in the month of September.
Even with his woeful end of the year, Winker was still a 2-win ballplayer in 2024. He hit .253/.360/.405 with a 118 OPS+. His attitude fits in perfectly with the team and his brashness is something that had been missing from this team for some time. While Stearns probably should not hand out a long term contract to Winker, if he would be willing to take a shorter deal he could once again be a positive presence for the Mets in 2025.