Predicting the NY Mets Opening Day lineup with Jesse Winker back, Pete Alonso update

With the return of Jesse Winker, there are questions as to where he would fit in the lineup and what the lineup could even look like for Opening Day. During his time with the New York Mets, Winker had a slash line of .243/.318/.365 along with 3 home runs and 13 RBI in the regular season. He was a platoon DH alongside J.D. Martinez throughout the season but truly flourished when the playoffs came around, hitting .318/.531/.636 with one home run and 4 RBI.

According to SNY's own Andy Martino, this is the Mets pivot to plan B as they expect Pete Alonso to sign elsewhere. With that news, that leaves New York without a first-baseman as of right now, leaving the organization to find a bat to replace the presence of Alonso.

2025 Predicted Lineup, including projected fWAR for 2025

1. Francisco Lindor, SS (S) | 5.5 fWAR
2. Juan Soto, RF (L) | 6.6 fWAR
3. Alex Bregman, 3B (R) | 4.1 fWAR
4. Brandon Nimmo, LF (L) | 2.9 fWAR
5. Mark Vientos, 1B (R) | 3.0 fWAR
6. Jesse Winker, DH (L) | 1.6 fWAR
7. Francisco Alvarez, C (R) | 3.7 fWAR
8. Jose Siri, CF (R) | 1.1 fWAR
9. Jeff McNeil, 2B (L) | 2.0 fWAR

Signing Alex Bregman is the perfect filler for Alonso, bringing in a better player with better defense is the correct way to construct the lineup. This would shift to Mark Vientos over to first base where he does have experience, making the Mets infield solid defensively. Assuming New York decides to keep Starling Marte, he and Winker would likely platoon at DH. Similar to what we say with J.D. Martinez and Winker during the second half of the regular season and playoffs.

Pivot from Alex Bregman to Anthony Santander

Another infield option would be free-agent Anthony Santander who can play first-base, leaving Vientos at third base. The experience is very minimal at first base for Santander but it could work, the infield defense doesn't get better but the lineup gets a power hitting switch hitter that could also play the outfield if needed. David Stearns has a ton of options available to construct a great lineup, that could be via free agency or even via the trade market as a plethora of teams are trying to shed payroll, leaving the wealthy Mets as suitors for a potential deal.