Jesse Winker Open to Playing First Base For The New York Mets

Outfielder/DH Jesse Winker is back with the New York Mets and is open to playing some first base if that's where he is needed.

Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (3) celebrates with first baseman Pete Alonso (20) after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Last season's biggest offensive trade deadline acquisition, Jesse Winker, quickly went from former villain to fan favorite.

Winker is now back with the New York Mets after signing a one-year, $7.5 million deal that can rise to $9 million with incentives.

Jesse Winker says talks with the Mets picked up after Christmas and he’s very happy to be back and wanted to come back the whole way

Whatever is asked of him in his role he’s gonna be ready to do it

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) January 22, 2025

But the reality of the situation is that the Mets have a crowded outfield after adding right fielder Juan Soto and center fielder Jose Siri this offseason to pair with left fielder Brandon Nimmo for what projects as their strongest defensive alignment.

Winker brings value as outfield depth and as a left-handed bat with pop that can serve as a DH option with the right-handed hitting Starling Marte.

However, the Mets don't have a first baseman at the moment with Pete Alonso remaining on the free agent market and a reunion looking bleak as of this date.

Winker has 13 games of experience at first base, which came on a minor league rehab assignment in 2023 with the Milwaukee Brewers, coincidentally the old stomping grounds of current Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns.

Winker also took some ground balls at first base with the Mets after being acquired from the Washington Nationals in July.

On Wednesday's welcome back zoom press conference for Winker, the 31-year-old veteran made it clear he's willing to do whatever is asked of him by the team in 2025.

"I'm definitely comfortable," Winker said of the possibility of playing some first base for the Mets. "Whatever’s asked of me, I’ll be ready and I’ll put my best foot forward, and give it everything I have.”

Jesse Winker says he is willing to play first base with the Mets: "I'm definitely comfortable - whatever is asked of me, I'll be ready"

He and the Mets had brief conversations last year about the possibility pic.twitter.com/irdH9PNiVu

— SNY (@SNYtv) January 22, 2025

“I definitely got more comfortable at first base two years ago,” Winker said. “Up until then, I hadn’t really played it. It was definitely a position that I definitely felt, like, ‘Man, maybe should have been playing this a long time ago,’ to at least have it as a tool in the bag… The more positions you play, the more valuable you are to teams.

"I had a lot of fun learning about the position. It gave me a new perspective about baseball and it gave me a big-time appreciation of infielders.”

Realistically, the Mets' likely Plan B if Alonso leaves would be moving breakout star Mark Vientos to first base. They would then have the young trio of Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuna compete for the starting third base job.

Should Alonso not return and Vientos becomes the primary first baseman, having Winker as a backup at the position makes sense. Baty and/or Mauricio could also get reps at first base to learn for backup and defensive flexibility purposes. Baty already began playing some second base in the minors last year after his late-May demotion.

Winker was a spark plug for the Mets down the stretch in 2024 and enhanced the team's clubhouse chemistry. He played a big hand in their run to the NLCS, hitting .318 with a 1.167 OPS in 10 postseason games.

Winker wanted to come back to the Mets from the get-go and talks began to heat up between the two sides right after Christmas.

Jesse Winker is asked what about the Mets made him want to return:

"Honestly, everything. The overall experience was incredible. How they treated my family was amazing. Everything baseball-wise was probably the most fun I've had." pic.twitter.com/pa44JKf5ms

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) January 22, 2025

“After the [last year] ended, I made it pretty clear that I wanted to stay… The overall experience was incredible. How they treated my family was amazing and then everything baseball-wise was probably the most fun I’ve had. Being a part of something bigger than yourself is just really why you play this game. The whole experience was incredible and it’s kind of addicting. You want it to happen again and again, so from the onset of the offseason, I was wanting to come back.”

He is now back with the Mets and ready to help them make another run in 2025. They will surely need his bat especially if Alonso is truly a goner.

Read More:

- Mets' Jeff McNeil is 'Surprised' Pete Alonso is Still a Free Agent

- Ex-Mets Manager Terry Collins Asserts Carlos Beltran is Being Punished by Hall of Fame Voters

- Ex-Mets Closer Billy Wagner Inducted Into Baseball Hall of Fame