7:47AM: The commerce has been formally introduced.
TODAY, 7:25AM: The Nationals can be buying proper-handed pitching prospect Tyler Stuart within the commerce, The Athletic’s Will Sammon stories (by way of X). Stuart was a sixth-spherical choose within the 2022 draft, and he has a 3.96 ERA, 25.4% strikeout charge, and 5.6% stroll charge in 84 innings for Double-A Binghampton this season. The 6’9″ righty was a reliever at Southern Miss however has labored nearly solely as a starter in his professional profession, and MLB Pipeline (which ranks Stuart seventeenth within the Mets’ farm system) feels he’ll need to develop a third pitch past his stable slider and 94mph fastball so as to stick as a beginning pitcher.
YESTERDAY: The Mets are poised to amass outfielder Jesse Winker from the Nationals, based on ESPN’s Jeff Passan. As famous by Andrew Golden of The Washington Post, the deal is presently in place pending a bodily. The return headed to D.C. in exchange for Winker’s companies will not be but recognized.
Winker, 31 subsequent month, was a first-spherical choose by the Reds back in 2012 and posted glorious numbers throughout 5 seasons with the membership. From 2017 by means of 2021, Winker slashed .288/.385/.504 with a 132 wRC+ because the membership’s common left fielder, although he was typically shielded from left-handed pitching during his years in Cincinnati. Even as he usually sat towards southpaws, nevertheless, Winker’s means to mash proper-handed pitching earned him an All-Star nod back in 2021 when he posted a 148 wRC+ in 485 journeys to the plate. Following the 2021 season, Winker discovered himself dealt to Seattle alongside Eugenio Suarez in a blockbuster that despatched Justin Dunn, Jake Fraley, and Brandon Williamson to Cincinnati.
Upon departing the Reds, nevertheless, Winker started to battle. A down season in Seattle the place he posted a wRC+ of simply 108 alongside a career-low remoted slugging share led the Mariners to deal Winker back to the NL Central following the 2022 marketing campaign, this time alongside Abraham Toro so as to land second baseman Kolten Wong from the Brewers. Winker’s time in Milwaukee represented a low level for him, as he battled neck accidents and struggled badly when wholesome enough to take the sector. While Winker walked at his usually robust 13.2% clip with the Brewers, he hit .198 whereas mustering only one home run in 197 journeys to the plate, leaving him with a 65 wRC+ that was 35% worse than league average final yr.
That disastrous 2023 marketing campaign led Winker to signal with the rebuilding Nationals on a minor league deal in his first journey by means of free company final winter, and Winker discovered himself chosen to the membership’s Opening Day roster. While splitting time between left subject and DH for the Nationals, Winker has rebounded back to the extent of offense that was customary for him in his days with the Reds. In 100 video games with Washington this yr, he’s hit an spectacular .253/.372/.417 with 11 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and a unbelievable 14.1% stroll charge in 376 journeys to the plate this yr.
Winker’s manufacturing nonetheless comes predominantly towards proper-handed pitching, towards whom he sports a 138 wRC+ on the yr, however he’s improved considerably towards southpaws this yr to put up a roughly average 93 wRC+ towards them. That’s a main step up from his profession yr in 2021 when he posted a wRC+ of simply 57 towards lefties.
For the Mets, Winker seems unlikely to be an on a regular basis participant given the presence of J.D. Martinez because the membership’s common DH and Brandon Nimmo patrolling left subject on an on a regular basis foundation. With typical heart fielder Harrison Bader presently coping with an ankle damage, it’s potential that Winker might see some begins in left subject with Nimmo sliding over to heart whereas Bader is injured. Both Nimmo and Winker even have sporadic expertise in proper subject by means of their careers as properly, which means the Mets might look to put in every into an outfield nook on both aspect of Bader whereas Starling Marte is on the injured listing in a transfer that might doubtless push Jeff McNeil both out of the lineup or back onto the infield dust.
Regardless of how usually Winker figures to be within the Mets lineup, he’s sure to offer a enhance to the membership’s offense. DJ Stewart is presently being utilized as a defensively-restricted bat off the bench in Queens however has delivered a wRC+ of simply 95 with a .674 OPS towards proper-handed pitching. Winker’s 128 wRC+ and .834 OPS towards proper-handers each clear these marks simply, and it’s straightforward to think about Winker being utilized in a related position to the one Stewart has gathered 184 journeys to the plate on this yr whereas bouncing between DH, the outfield corners, and even first base as needed.
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