Drew Gilbert should be Mets’ call-up if Jesse Winker needs IL stint

Jesse Winker injured his back in Thursday's loss to the Baltimore Orioles, which could create an opening on the big league roster for Drew Gilbert.

May 1, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jesse Winker (3) hits a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The New York Mets lost a game to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday afternoon, but may have taken a bigger lineup hit in the process.

DH Jesse Winker, who just got back from the injured list on Tuesday, had to leave the game after just one at-bat when his back locked up on him; Mets manager Carlos Mendoza revealed after the game that Winker is heading to New York for further exams on his back. Given that the team has just three days left before the All-Star break, it wouldn't be surprising to see Winker land back on the injured list to try and minimize the amount of time he could miss.

Sounds like Jesse Winker could be headed to the IL. His back "locked up," per Carlos Mendoza, and he's heading to New York for testing.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 10, 2025

Read More: New York Mets lose slugger Jesse Winker to new injury

An IL stint would mean that the Mets have to add another player on the roster to cover Winker's latest absence. While the safe move would be to promote Jared Young from Triple-A Syracuse, the bold choice would be to tap Drew Gilbert to make his major league debut.

After a slow start to the season, Gilbert has been on a heater for Syracuse in July, batting .320 with three home runs, nine RBI, and an outstanding 1.134 OPS in 25 at-bats. Gilbert has been showing more pop of late, with five of his 11 home runs coming since June 28th.

Drew Gilbert ties the game in the ninth! pic.twitter.com/0nksn4in07

— Syracuse Mets (@SyracuseMets) July 10, 2025

While Tyrone Taylor did get a big hit in the first game of the doubleheader, he has just three hits since mid-June. Luisangel Acuña is back in the big leagues and could factor into the playing time mix in center field, but Gilbert's pedigree as a former top prospect and his increased offensive output should give him a shot to help light a spark in a Mets' lineup that has been stagnant for the better part of a month now.

Giving Gilbert the call now could also be impactful for the Mets' trade deadline needs, which may now include a DH if Winker's back forces him into another extended absence. If Gilbert is able to solidify center field, either on his own or as part of a platoon with Acuña or Taylor, that would be one less area that David Stearns would need to address with an external addition.

The rub here is that Gilbert needs to be added to the 40-man roster, whereas a player like Young does not. The Mets do have an open 40-man roster spot after designating Travis Jankowski for assignment earlier in the day, but with Sean Manaea and Brooks Raley slated to come off the 60-day injured list in the coming days, the Mets may opt to hold that spot for one of them to maintain maximum roster flexibility.

Either way, the Mets will likely wait until they have an idea of how long Winker will be out before they fill his spot on the roster. Young may be the team's preferred option for a shorter absence, but if Winker will miss extended time again, the best option is to give Gilbert a chance at the major league level.