Mets acquire OF Jesse Winker in trade with Nationals

The New York Mets have acquired outfielder Jesse Winker in a trade with the Washington Nationals, adding another productive bat to one of the best lineups in baseball.

The trade, which was announced Sunday morning, sends the 31-year-old Winker to a New York team that since June 3 has scored the most runs in baseball and hit the second-most home runs. In that time, the Mets have climbed from 11 games under .500 to 55-49 and in possession of the second wild-card spot in the National League.

The Nationals received minor league right-hander Tyler Stuart in the trade.

Winker's resurgence this year has seen him return to being a high-on-base threat with plenty of power and speed. In 101 games, he is hitting .257/.374/.419 with 11 home runs and 14 stolen bases. His 14% walk rate is fifth in baseball, behind only Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber and Mookie Betts.

Back injuries in 2023 limited Winker to 61 games with Milwaukee, and that came after he struggled in 2022 following a trade to Seattle. In 2021, Winker was elite offensively, hitting .305/.394/.556 and pummeling right-handed pitching.

The Mets had sought a left-handed outfield bat, also considering a reacquisition of Michael Conforto. They'll instead get an outfielder who has shown love for Mets fans in the past after some playful repartee that included him waving at Citi Field following a game-tying home run two years ago and doing the same after a game-ending, sliding catch three years earlier.

He joins a Mets outfield that includes Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil, Tyrone Taylor and DJ Stewart. Center fielder Harrison Bader is currently out with an ankle injury, and right fielder Starling Marte is on the injured list with a right-knee issue.

New York already had acquired a pair of relief pitchers, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton, before agreeing to the Winker deal. The regular-season-ending calf injury to starter Kodai Senga, who had missed the entirety of the season with a shoulder ailment prior to his debut Friday, leaves the Mets potentially looking to deal for starting pitching as well.