Between 2017-2021, Jesse Winker had a 129 OPS+ over 1,523 PA. And it seemed like he did the vast majority of his damage against the Mets. After a down season in 2022 and a dismal year in 2023, Winker rebounded with a strong start with the Nationals this season. Back to a 128 OPS+ in 379 PA with the Nats, the Mets picked him up near the trade deadline, looking for a lefty bat with some sock who could help hold down right field while Starling Marte was on the IL.
Winker has always had good OBPs and enough SLG for an outfielder. But he’s not showing either of those traits here early on with the Mets. In 11 games with his new team, Winker has a 2.7 BB% and a .056 ISO. But he’s being saved by a .379 BABIP. The hits are falling in for him, which has led to a .306 AVG. Yet despite that AVG being 62 points better than MLB average for the year, Winker has just a 97 OPS+. He’s a below-average player because it’s an empty AVG.
My initial thought when the Mets acquired Winker was that if/when Marte returned that they would run a platoon in right field, with Winker getting the majority of the playing time due to his status as a lefty batter. And now that it seems that Marte will actually return to the majors soon, it doesn’t seem clear at all what the club will do.
While maybe not to the same degree as with the organization’s previous fascination with Tylor Megill, it seems like Marte has been given every opportunity to play over others. There was last year, when he amassed 341 PA despite a 74 OPS+ and the only reason he didn’t get more at-bats was because he missed the final two months of the season after being put on the IL.
This year, after a strong April, Marte was struggling in May, yet played 28 games in the month. Things turned around for Marte in June, where he posted an .817 OPS in 13 games before going on the IL. Are the Mets really going to limit him to the short side of a platoon if he’s healthy enough to play?
And if Marte sees most of the time in right field, what happens to Winker? He’s not a good defensive outfielder, so it seems like if the Mets give Harrison Bader a rest, that it’s more likely they’ll play Tyrone Taylor in his absence. And J.D. Martinez has been a fixture at DH since he joined the club.
Certainly, it’s not fair to judge Winker on the basis of 11 games with his new club. But for midseason acquisitions, it’s frequently a case of, “what have you done for me lately?” Combine that with the org’s seemingly unwavering belief in Marte and it sets up for Winker to get fewer PA in September than he has to date here in August.
And that’s despite a .306 AVG.
It is only eleven games so Winker and Marte should be platoon in the beginning and see what develops. Taylor should be the late inning defensive replacement. Bader and Taylor should split centerfield but Nimmo should get some reps in centerfield when Iglesias gets a start at second base and McNeil would be shifted to left field.
The Mets have a strong bench and Mendoza knows how to use it.
Earlier tonight, I was thinking about the Astros and how they were consistently successful. I thought:
1. Altuve was a consistent force but they had several players all 5 WAR types.
2. They didn’t have such highs and such lows. They were much more consistent.
3. They never, ever, ever, said “if we win, we win and if we lose, we lose”. They played to win like their life depended on it. I did not like reading what JD Martinez said earlier this afternoon.