Veteran outfielder Jesse Winker, acquired by the Mets from the Nationals at the trade deadline last year, starts another Amazin’ season by fielding some Q&A from Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Describe the feeling of coming so close to a World Series and not getting there last year.
A: Obviously, the loss hurts, right? You reflect on it eventually, but initially, you’re just like, “Damn, you’re so close, we were two wins away from being in the World Series.” As a professional athlete, you respect that moment and that platform and that opportunity, because it doesn’t just happen all the time, right? You never know the next time you’ll be two wins away from the World Series, right? When you finally get time to reflect on it, you learn from it. You learn from the loss, you learn from wins, and then you kind of put a bow on it, and then you start preparing for the next one.
Q: Does that make this team hungrier to get to a World Series?
A: I think every year when you’re part of a team like this, an organization like this, and you’re in an environment like this daily, that you’re always going to be hungry. I don’t think you can be thinking about October in February. There’s so much baseball to be played.
Q: You do visualize. So what do you visualize about New York in October?
A: I saw it firsthand last year! It puts a smile on your face. It’s a special place, it’s a special city. It’s a very passionate fan base, and their support is going to be needed not just in October, it’s going to be needed in every month. And I know we can’t wait to go play hard for them. It’s going to be fun. I respect the hell out of them.
Q: What is that feeling like, the electricity in the stadium in October in New York?
A: I don’t even know if there’s a word to describe it. It’ll give you goosebumps. I’ll talk about it for the rest of my life. It’s a special place, man. It’s loud, it’s bright, it’s incredible. Like you said, it’s electric, man. That’s the word to describe it. You walk on and it’s instant electricity, instant caffeine (laugh). It’s like you don’t even need to drink coffee.
Q: Do you like the expectations with Juan Soto on the team?
A: It’s really cool to be a part of something like this.
Q: What stands out to you about him seeing him up close and personal?
A: Really cool dude, really cool being around him and watching him do his thing, man. He hits the ball so damn hard every time (laugh). It sounds different. He’s one of the best hitters in our game, if not the best hitter in our game, right? It’s really fun watching him do his thing and watching him just crush balls all over the field. It’s really cool, man.
Q: How much are you looking forward to the Subway Series atmosphere?
A: From what I’ve heard it’s incredible, right? I used to watch them when I was a kid. But yeah, I’m looking forward to it. Obviously there’s a ton of history between the Yankees and the Mets and everyone in New York. It’s a celebration of both baseball teams whenever they get to meet up in the regular season. It’s cool, man. It’ll be cool to be a part of, it’ll be cool to play in. It’ll kind of be like one of those things that when it’s happening, I’ll probably remember myself as like an 8- or 9-year-old watching the Subway Series in my house.
Q: Can this be a Mets town?
A: I’m a New York Met, so I rock with the Mets, man.
Q: From waving Mets fans after a grand slam in 2019 to your “I hate Milwaukee” statement last fall, you seem to relish the role of the villain at times. Is that right?
A: I don’t know, man. I don’t know if I’m necessarily a villain. I just try to play, and play hard, and help the team win. Everything else that happens, those are the only things I’m trying to do is help the team win, and play.
Q: Why do you think you’ve become a fan favorite in New York?
A: I don’t even know how to answer that. To be regarded as that, it’s a very honorable thing, I’m very grateful. Obviously there’s a history there between when I was on the Cincinnati Reds and all that. And I think from the minute that happened there was like a mutual respect between both of us. … I don’t know, man, I feel like there’s so many talented guys on this roster that there’s a bunch of fan favorites, and I’m just trying to do my part in helping us win. I don’t know, I feel like that’s a better question to ask others, I don’t know if I can really answer that.
Q: What are your thoughts on being a DH?
A: I’ll do whatever is asked of me. It it’s DHing, if it’s playing the outfield, if it’s pinch-hitting, pinch-running, I’ll do whatever.
Q: Has DHing required an adjustment?
A: You know, I have outstanding coaches here that when I was DHing last year I leaned on them, and we came up with plans on attacking pitchers and who I might face, and I was well-versed on the matchup I might be having. The communication here is great. I was very well-informed and that helps me out a bunch.
Q: Describe Francisco Lindor.
A: I’ve known Francisco for a really long time. He goes about everything incredibly. He’s awesome. He cares about everybody in the clubhouse. He’s a great leader, and on top of that he’s an outstanding player, and everything he does on the field speaks for itself. Just a great dude.
Q: Carlos Mendoza.
A: Mendy’s great, man. He’s very steady. Great communicator. Another great leader.
Q: Your on-field mentality.
A: I really, really love playing baseball, and I really, really enjoy being a part of something bigger than yourself, and I really, really enjoy joining in with your teammates and winning baseball games. There’s not a better feeling than working really hard and then winning a game. A lot of joy comes from that.
Q: Where does your emotion come from?
A: I don’t know, I think I’ve always been an emotional player, definitely an emotional person since I was a kid, since I was playing. Like I probably wore my emotions on my sleeve as an 8-, 9-, 10-year-old baseball player. I’m sure there’s people that know me for a long time that could vouch for that. I just think that’s kind of how I am. I have two older brothers, and growing up when they played baseball or football with their friends, I wanted to go and I wanted to play. And you weren’t able to like whine or complain or bitch and moan, you just had to go play. There’s times when someone older than you may have … you go across the middle and catch a ball and get hit pretty hard (laugh). I don’t know, man, I think it’s kind of just how I’ve been my whole life.
Q: Are there any emotional players in any sport you like who have the same approach you do?
A: I think the best emotion is like when you win, I think a lot of emotion comes from that, and you’ve seen guys that have won, it appears that when they’re done, they’re exhausted. I remember watching documentaries on Michael Jordan and all that, and you’d see him after winning a championship how exhausted he was because he literally put everything he had into that title run, right? I think every athlete’s different in their own mindset when it comes to how they handle certain things, and I think for me, it’s just at times emotions come out.
Q: When did that helmet spike begin?
A: Ah man, I blacked out (laugh). I blanked out on both of them, they were just two blackout moments and that was that.
Q: What drives you?
A: My daughter [Wren]. … I just think being a girl dad is a privilege. It’s an honor, and I’ve learned so much from my daughter because obviously she’s turning 5 in May. I just want to represent her to the best of my ability, and I want her as she gets older and she starts figuring out who she is and what she wants to be, I hope she could look at her father and just know that her dad’s doing exactly what he loves. He gets to be your dad, and then he gets to play baseball. Those are the two things I want to do. And I hope as she gets older, and she has a passion for something, she pursues it to her 100 percent ability, because when she’s doing that, I’m going to be right there to support her and be there for her. When I get home, and I have my daughter with me, I get to go be the dad version of myself, and that’s my favorite time. I have a ton of love for my little girl and I’m very grateful for her. She’s on a great progression, man. I’m stoked, and she comes back on the [March 8], and I can’t wait to see her.
Q: Describe her for me.
A: Oh man! (laugh). Wren is a go-getter. Wren has a great heart. She’s a beautiful person. She’s got an amazing imagination. She’s very creative. She’s very intelligent. She cares about others. She’s so pure. I think that’s how I’d describe her, she’s pure. She’s amazing. I can’t say enough amazing things about her, I’m so grateful for her. … She’s incredible.
Q: What is the biggest adversity you’ve had to overcome?
A: I think I’m going to use this question to kind of describe my two brothers. My oldest brother [Joey], when he was a junior in high school, in the batting cage in our backyard, he broke his kneecap. In doing so, he also pretty much tore every ligament in your knee that you could have. He was getting a lot of Division I looks, he was a very good player. And those kind of all went away. And he ended up going to a small Division I school called Mercer University, he played there for five years, and he ended up getting drafted by the Dodgers. He ended up making it to like High-A, I believe. But he just had some other injuries kind of derail his chances because the knee thing was such a hard thing to come back from, but he did. And not only did he come back, he was a freshman All-American at Mercer. Just to see him, everything that he had to go through just to get back on the field … I watched him go run sprints up a hill by himself, with a bum knee, to try to play for his senior season of high school. And my other brother Ryan, he was diagnosed with something called Crohn’s disease, I think it was, his sophomore summer going into his junior year of high school. From a health standpoint it hit him hard. It changed his life immediately. It’s something that he’s dealt with every day of his life since then. It’s a terrible thing for anybody to have to go through but especially a 16-year-old kid having a life-altering thing happen. He’s doing his thing now, and he’s living a great life, he works very hard. Very proud of both of them. … It really all got put into perspective for me when I became a father, right? When you become a father, you kind of think about your parents, right? It gave me a big-time appreciation for them and everything that they were able to do for not only me but my brothers.
Q: For you specifically, when you were 15 years old and you were told you were not good enough to make Team USA, how did that affect you at that time?
A: Wow. I was heartbroken, man. I remember I went back home, and I was really upset. I kind of just went back in my cage in the backyard and just started hitting again. I had a batting cage in my backyard, my dad built it, and there’s a lot of hours and days and months and years spent in that batting cage. In that moment it was good for me. I was definitely heartbroken, though, I remember that. That feeling just popped right back into my head (chuckle), it was like I was sitting at that desk again. That was the first time that I didn’t make a team. I definitely cried, I would assume. I don’t think anybody likes hearing you’re not on the team.
Q: How gratifying was making the 2021 All-Star Game?
A: Yeah, that was cool, man. It was a very cool moment.
Q: On the flip side of that, what happened to your game with Seattle and Milwaukee in 2022 and 2023?
A: I didn’t perform to my capabilities. And then I had knee and neck surgery that [2022-23] offseason, and then I went to Milwaukee and I was a part of a team that made the playoffs again. But me on a personal level, I didn’t play to my capabilities.
Q: What was the low point for you?
A: There was a lot, man, there was a lot. I don’t know if I could just pin one moment. Obviously having neck and knee surgery and waking up from that. I was in a neck brace for about 8 to 10 weeks, and when you’re in a neck brace, you can’t really do much activity, you’re very limited. So probably around then, I would assume.
Q: What was the period like before the Nationals gave you a 2024 minor league offer?
A: That’s why I’m thankful I have an outstanding agent [Casey Close]. I’m grateful for him because we had honest conversations, and we came up with a plan. He came up with a plan, and in the offseason I trained over in Wesley Chapel, which is right outside of Tampa, and then I did my baseball stuff at another spot. My priority was to get my body in a better place. When I was in Milwaukee, I was heavy, like I said, I was coming off those two surgeries, I was heavy, I was out of shape. I started getting in better shape as the season went on there, I started developing better habits, my body started feeling better I think post-surgery. And then that [2023-24] offseason, I really hit it hard with a guy named Chris May.
Q: When did the long hair begin for you?
A: I guess then.
Q: Why did you decide to grow it out?
A: I would get my beard lined up and everything, but yeah, I just didn’t really feel like cutting my hair. I don’t really have an answer to that (laugh).
Q: What did you think of the Yankees changing their facial hair edict?
A: I play for the Mets. I heard about it and I was like, “Oh that’s cool, that’s great.” It’s cool.
Q: Four dinner guests?
A: Jimi Hendrix, Al Capone, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson.
Q: Did you box?
A: I have boxed, yes. I went to boxing classes, I’ve taken them all throughout my career. When I’m done playing, I’m going to go more into it. I would never fight professionally. but I’d want to train. I would train as if I were to box but I just wouldn’t.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “Goodfellas.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Joe Pesci.
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Q: Favorite actress?
A: Emma Laird.
Q: Favorite rapper?
A: Future.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Chicken wings.
Q: Favorite cigar?
A: Davidoff Churchill Late Hour. Hey let me tell you something: The Davidoff Churchill Late Hour, I could have that cigar at any time of day, any day. I mean, I’ve smoked that cigar on Christmas morning. … That cigar’s incredible.
Q: What do you hope Mets fans say about you?
A: That I was able to represent them well, and that I was able to help us win.
Q: Do you think this is a World Series team?
A: I think time will tell. Obviously there’s a bunch of talent here, and as a player, it’s extremely exciting to be a part of this. I just want to go play these games.
