4 upcoming Mets free agents who have been good but don't need to be re-signed

3) The Mets don’t need to re-sign Jesse Winker

Jesse Winker has been fun and should continue to be an important part of the Mets for the rest of the season. Should the Mets bring him back? Eh, in a similar role it could work, but why not give some of those at-bats to a player like Drew Gilbert?

Winker has a lot in common with Starling Marte. Actually having a much better defensive season as a left fielder, the idea of platooning the pair next year is likely something a whole lot of Mets fans have considered. It’s close to what the team is doing now but not exactly.

Re-signing Winker has its perks if the team does want another somewhat limited corner outfielder on the roster. They went with DJ Stewart to start this season. However, the team was looking for alternatives up until Opening Day. 

Winker is probably a better fit for the Mets if they prefer to have another lighter offseason. Assuming the club won’t revert back to having Brandon Nimmo as its everyday center fielder, Winker is less of a fit other than having a part-time role. After the season he has put together, he’ll probably want more at-bats. Clutch hits like his grand slam against the Boston Red Sox only add to the allure of what he can offer.

Before jumping to re-sign Winker, Mets fans should consider the recent lows he has experienced. He batted just .219/.344/.344 in 2022. He followed it up by hitting .199/.320/.247 in 2023.  An awesome bounce back season in 2024 won’t have teams busting down doors to obtain Winker yet there is definitely a team out there looking to play more competitively next year who’d award him a starting job.

With Winker, it comes down to where the Mets may miss in other areas and maybe even what their plan is at the DH spot. Speaking of…