1 boring and 1 bold NY Mets replacement for Jesse Winker if he lands on the IL

The New York Mets recently activated designated hitter/outfielder Jesse Winker from the injured list. Winker got off to a solid start to the year, with a .738 OPS through his first 24 games of the season, but hit the IL with an oblique strain. However, his return may end up being short-lived, as he was pulled from the second game upon his return after just one trip to the plate. Winker reportedly has back tightness, and the Mets may have to look for a replacement if he ends up on the IL. The Mets have 2 routes they could go: the boring choice of depth player, or the more bold option of a prospect.

The boring choice they'll probably go with: Jared Young

The boring choice that likely wouldn't make much of an impact is Jared Young. Young was signed this past offseason by the Mets after he had a strong stint in Korea and with the St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate. For what it's worth, Young has hit well at Syracuse this season.

The infielder is slashing .287/.411/.557 with a 152 wRC+, albeit in only 152 plate appearances. He has only struck out 25 times and has drawn 20 walks. Young has shown off some power too, with nine homers, a .270 isolated slugging percentage, 93.4 MPH exit velocity, and 17% barrel rate. He also only has a 26.7% whiff rate at Triple-A this year.

However, Young was given a brief cameo on the Majors this season with the Mets. While he had four extra base hits, including three home runs and a double in only 44 plate appearances, Young didn't do much else. Young only had seven total hits and struck out 15 times with only a pair of walks. Young is a left-handed hitter, so he could be an option if Winker isn't projected to miss much time.

The bold choice they should at least consider: Drew Gilbert

Drew Gilbert was originally acquired in the Justin Verlander deal. Gilbert, a large chunk of 2024 due to injuries, however, has been healthy enough to rack up 300 plate appearances at Syracuse. His numbers on the year are slightly below average, batting .232/.344/.400, with a 97 wRC+. Gilbert is only striking out at a 16.3% rate and has a sub-20% whiff percentage at 19.1%. He is also walking at a respectable 12% mark, and has nine home runs.

Gilbert has hit a lot better recently. Since the start of June, the outfield prospect is hitting .254/.348/.492 with a .371 wOBA and 118 wRC+. Seven of his nine long balls at Syracuse have happened over this stretch. He is still only striking out at a 16.2% rate, with a solid 9.7% walk rate. His batting average on balls in play is only .258, suggesting there could be more in the tank for Gilbert. Gilbert could also start syphoning playing time from Tyrone Taylor if he gets the call. Taylor has just a 21 wRC+ in the Majors since the start of June. 

Winker's injury is miserable timing. He just returned from the IL, and the Mets have gotten off to a solid start in July after a rough ending to June. Young is more of a depth piece than one they should rely on to replace a semi-regular in the lineup. Gilbert has some real upside and is a better option if Winker is out for an extended period of time.