3 NY Mets free agent reunions that have not yielded the results we were looking for

There’s not much to complain about as the New York Mets near the quarter mark of the 2025 campaign. Some exemplary performances have spurred early season momentum, placing the Amazins in the top class of MLB’s senior circuit. However, the immaculate play and early heroics have slowly been quelled by a string of injuries, untimely hitting, and judgment calls not going in the Mets’ favor, especially in tight contests.

As with any rough stretch over the course of a season, underperformance by cornerstone pieces, questionable managerial decisions, and minor ailments are magnified, prompting the popular notion that “hindsight is 20/20.” While it’s still very early to make any bold assumptions, a measly sampling size has shown a glaring concern within the Queens contingent: some offseason signings are not yielding the results the front office nor fans had hoped for.

This primarily applies to three players the orange-and-blue faithful had called for David Stearns and Co. to bring back from last year.

1) Jesse Winker

Fans held their breath as Jesse Winker was pulled in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals with right side discomfort. With early signs indicating a possible stint on the injured list, the 31-year-old’s absence creates a shakeup in the Mets’ depth chart and a notable subtraction from a somewhat right-heavy lineup.  

Winker’s pure emotion and clutch hits during last year’s postseason stretch run had fans clamoring for the once heavily despised villain of the Mets faithful to return to this year’s squad. Given the nature of the possible injury, it will be a considerable amount of time before we see Winker return to the field. So far, in shared time with Starling Marte, Winker’s numbers have meandered slightly below his career numbers, at the expense of hard-hit balls right at opposing fielders.

Nonetheless, Winker’s absence places added responsibilities on Starling Marte to fill the designated hitter void. Additionally, manager Carlos Mendoza could consider utilizing the position as a carousel to get Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, or Mark Vientos off their feet for a day. The nature of Winker’s role may open Stearns to choose almost anyone deemed suitable for that role.

Coasting through 162 games without substantial absences and ailments is merely impossible. However, Winker’s steady presence and reputability to be ready at a moment’s notice could become a haunting reality when his services are typically called upon in a crucial spot in any contest.