The acquisition of Jesse Winker was a move that excited a large portion of the New York Mets’ fanbase. Just over a month has passed and it is safe to say that feeling has only increased. Winker joined the team off the back of four really good months of baseball with the Washington Nationals. He has raised his level with the Mets, providing them with another potent bat from the left side.
Winker had a big night in the Mets’ 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox Saturday. After Pete Alonso hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, the outfielder came to the plate. The first three pitches of Winker’s at bat were elevated. A four-seam fastball and two cutters. Davis Martin’s next pitch was a changeup in the middle of the zone and he paid the price for that location. Winker crushed it to right center field, his 13th home run of the season and his second as a Met.
That wouldn’t be his only big hit on the night. In the fourth inning, Winker came to the plate with runners on first and second. He hit a soft single to shallow right field, scoring Francisco Lindor from second base. Two innings later, Winker picked up his third hit with another single to right field.
Jesse Winker. Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
“He’s locked in right now. Quality at-bat after quality at bat. Controlling the strike zone, things we knew he was capable of,” Carlos Mendoza said about Winker.
In 26 games with the Mets, Winker is slashing .342/.364/.493 (.857 OPS) with two home runs and nine runs batted in. He has three-straight games with two hits or more, including three extra-base hits.
Winker has come into a playoff race and raised his game to another level. “It’s the best time of year. Definitely excited and I like our chances a lot. Just keep going, one day at a time,” Winker said.
Plenty of examples exist where a player joins a new team and struggles in a push for the postseason. The added pressure is something that could make things difficult for an individual. Winker is not one of those people, not at all. His personality and his production has made the fanbase appreciate him more than ever. A connection between the two has existed since 2019. It has been up and down. But now, Winker and the Mets have reached their peak as they look to help this organization return to the postseason once again.
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