The New York Mets’ season has officially gone down as a disappointment. After a stellar offseason, the team failed to make the playoffs.
The Mets’ offseason was highlighted by the team signing Juan Soto and re-signing Pete Alonso. After reaching the National League Championship Series the year before, the Mets were expected to be World Series contenders.
Another move the Mets made in the offseason was signing Jesse Winker to a one-year deal. Winker was great in the postseason last year, but had a frustrating, injury-riddled season this year. FanSided’s Derek Praschak predicted Winker would not be back next season.
“This season has been quite the departure,” wrote Praschak. “When he wasn’t injured, he was rehabbing. When he wasn’t rehabbing, he was battling back from injury in limited reps. When he wasn’t battling back from injury in limited reps, he wasn’t exactly hitting, finishing 2025 with a .229 batting average and just one long-ball in 81 plate appearances. With his contract coming due and not much production out of him this season, I don’t expect him to factor into the DH plans next season. This would mean goodbye for our folk hero, Mr. Winker.”
The Mets likely would not have reached the NLCS in 2024 if not for Jesse Winker. He had a 1.168 OPS in October. He hit one home run and two triples while collecting four RBIs across seven games.
This season, he was never able to get on a roll. Injuries held him back, and the production he achieved while playing does not justify a reunion. The Mets will have many questions facing them in the offseason. Finding a solution to the DH spot will be one of them, and Winker does not seem like a part of that plan.
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