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Jorge Castillo, ESPN Staff Writer
Outfielder Jesse Winker and the New York Mets have agreed on a one-year deal, a source confirmed to ESPN amid multiple reports Thursday.
Winker, 31, will return to the Mets after the club acquired him in a trade from the Washington Nationals at the deadline last summer. The deal is pending Winkler passing a physical, a source told ESPN.
He signed a minor-league deal with Washington coming off an injury-plagued 2023 campaign with the Milwaukee Brewers. He thrived with the rebuilding Nationals, hitting 11 home runs with a .257/.374/.419 slash line, which made him an attractive trade candidate for contending teams seeking a left-handed bat.
The Mets acquired him for right-hander Tyler Stuart, and he batted .243 with three home runs and a .683 OPS in 44 games with New York.
With Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo slated to start in the corner outfield spots, Winker figures to spend most of his time as the designated hitter against right-handed pitchers in 2025 with Starling Marte, as it stands, getting DH starts against lefties.
The Mets and homegrown star Pete Alonso, who remains one of the top free agents on the market, still have not been able to come to an agreement despite mutual interest, according to sources. Alonso, a four-time All-Star, was drafted by the Mets in 2016.
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