Outfielder Jesse Winker acquired in trade with Nationals

The Mets have a new left-handed weapon to deploy in their quest to reach the playoffs.

The Mets have made a trade to acquire outfielder Jesse Winker from the Nationals in exchange for pitching prospect Tyler Stuart.

Winker, who signed a $2 million deal with the Nationals last offseason, is slashing .253/.372/.417 with 11 home runs, 44 RBI, 51 runs and 19 doubles this season. He has also swiped 14 stolen bases.

“Once I found out I was coming here I was extremely excited,” Winker told reporters. “Such a great team, they’ve been playing so well. Obviously I’ve been in the opposing dugout, so I’m just excited to be a part of it.”

The 24-year-old Stuart was the No. 17 overall and fifth-highest pitching prospect in the Mets’ system, according to MLB Pipeline.

Winker, who found out the news he had been traded after his third at-bat for the Nats on Saturday night, will provide another left-handed bat to the Mets’ lineup while filling in at one of the corner outfield spots. Against right-handed pitching this season, Winker has a .834 OPS with 10 home runs and 35 RBI.

The Mets are dealing with an injury to Starling Marte, who has been slow to return from a deep bone bruise in his right knee that has kept him out since June 22. The Mets’ other left-handed corner outfield option, DJ Stewart, is slashing .176/.332/.304 with five home runs and 19 RBI in 70 games.

In a corresponding move, the Mets optioned Stewart to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.

“It’s a big move,” Carlos Mendoza told reporters. “Obviously a lefty bat. We’ve seen it a lot, especially when we play the Nationals, and the at-bats and the way he controlled the strike zone, the power. Yeah, he’s gonna help.”

Winker, a Buffalo, N.Y., native, has drawn boos from the fans at Citi Field since 2019 when, as a member of the Reds, he hit a go-ahead home run and made a game-ending sliding catch before waving to fans along the left-field line.

As a member of the Mariners in 2022, Winker said he loved the fans of New York and “can understand the passion and I respect it.” Earlier this season, while with the Nats, Winker hit a game-deciding solo home run off Adrian Houser in the eighth inning of a 1-0 Mets loss at Nationals Park.

“My first couple of full seasons, I was maybe a little on the immature side, and I had some fun,” Winker said. “It’s a passionate fan base and I’m excited to play for them.”

The Mets will be Winker’s fifth team since 2021. He was an All-Star for the Reds that season when he finished with a .941 OPS, including 24 home runs, 71 RBI and 77 runs. He said he grew up playing with and against Francisco Lindor and has relationships with Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez.

After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2022 MLB Draft, Stuart began to make major inroads last season with a 4-0 record and 1.55 ERA in 14 starts for High-A Brooklyn, ultimately earning a summer promotion to Double-A Binghamton, where be has been since.

This season, Stuart is 3-7 with a 3.96 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 17 starts for the Rumble Ponies. He has struck out 90 batters in 84 innings.