NEW YORK (AP) — Jesse Winker and the New York Mets have agreed to a one-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday, perhaps a signal the team doesn’t expect to re-sign slugger Pete Alonso.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical.
Winker was acquired by the Mets from Washington on July 28 and the outfielder batted .243 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 44 games for New York last year. He hit a tying, two-run triple in the Wild Card Series opener at Milwaukee, homered off Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola in Game 3 of the Division Series and had an RBI triple in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A left-handed hitter, Winker batted .253 with 14 homers, 58 RBIs and a .764 OPS overall last season, then became a free agent.
The 31-year-old corner outfielder could get plenty of plate appearances at designated hitter for the Mets next season along with Starling Marte, after the club signed right fielder Juan Soto to a record $765 million, 15-year contract in free agency.
Winker has a .262 career average with 95 homers, 324 RBIs and an .804 OPS over eight major league seasons with Cincinnati (2017-21), Seattle (2022), Milwaukee (2023), the Nationals and Mets. He was an All-Star in 2021, when he hit a career-best .305 with 24 homers and 71 RBIs.
Alonso also became a free agent after the season and the first baseman has held talks with the Mets without reaching an agreement. The deal with Winker could be a sign New York is shifting attention and resources in a different direction.
A four-time All-Star who turned 30 on Dec. 7, Alonso has hit 226 homers over six seasons with the Mets.
NOTES: The Mets announced plans to name the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field after longtime visiting clubhouse manager Tony Carullo, who spent 51 years working for the team before retiring after the 2019 season. Carullo will receive the Mets Hall of Fame Achievement Award in a ceremony before the July 19 game against Cincinnati, the same day New York inducts former captain David Wright into the club's Hall of Fame and retires his No. 5 jersey.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Mike Fitzpatrick, The Associated Press
