It was announced on Monday via the Washington Post that the Washington Nationals have signed former All-Star outfielder and former Milwaukee Brewer Jesse Winker to a minor league deal.
Former Milwaukee Brewers Let-Down Jesse Winker to Nationals
In the last two years, Jesse Winker hasn’t been performing at an all-star level, his numbers falling drastically. An all-star with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021, he was hitting .305 with 24 homers and 71 RBI’s in that season. However, when he got traded to the Seattle Mariners, he hit a mere .219 with a .344 OBP and 14 homers.
Winker used to be a player others wanted to look out for, and the hope was that bringing him to Milwaukee would help him bounce back from an awful season in Seattle. However, his season in Milwaukee ended with fans booing him as he walked to the plate. It didn’t come as a shock when the Brewers weren’t bringing him back for the 2024 season, and what time would take him on was the begging question.
In 61 games in Milwaukee, Jesse Winker slashed .199/.320/.247 with one homer, five doubles, and 23 batted in. He showed some promise when the season first started, but then fell ill with pneumonia and never seemed to bounce back offense wise for the remainder of the season. Injuries such as a trip to the IL with back spasms, also plagued the outfielder, so it was only a matter of time before he was designated for assignment.
The biggest shock came when the Brewers decided to put Winker on the Wild Card roster in the postseason, leaving off other players who should’ve been there over a mediocre player like Winker. Former Brewers manager Craig Counsell used Winker’s ability to draw walks as a reason to why he was on the roster over players like Garrett Mitchell and Rowdy Tellez.
Hopefully going to Washington will bring him the much needed fresh start that he’s desperately due for. With him on a minor league deal and an invitation to Spring Training, this will allow Washington to work with him, get him some ABs at the minor level instead of taking a risk and putting him on the major league roster right away.
For More Wisconsin Sports…
Follow me on Twitter at @sarahspooon and follow us at @WiSportsHeroics. You can also reach out to Sarah via email at sarahspooon@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! We cover the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers, and High School sports!
1 Comment
Shocked. He was so bad and has been now for a while. It can’t all have been injuries and pneumonia.