Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Veteran outfielder Je se 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 lo s hurts, right? You reflect on it eventually, but initially, youre just like, Damn, youre so close, we were two wins away from being in the World Series. As a profe sional athlete, you respect that moment and that platform and that opportunity, because it doesnt just happen all the time, right? You never know the next time youll 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 lo s, 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 youre part of a team like this, an organization like this, and youre in an environment like this daily, that youre always going to be hungry. I dont think you can be thinking about October in February. Theres so much baseball to be played. Explore More 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. Its a special place, its a special city. Its a very pa sionate fan base, and their support is going to be needed not just in October, its going to be needed in every month. And I know we cant wait to go play hard for them. Its going to be fun. I respect the hell out of them. Je se Winker is pictured during spring training on Feb. 18. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post Q: What is that feeling like, the electricity in the stadium in October in New York? A: I dont even know if theres a word to describe it. Itll give you goosebumps. Ill talk about it for the rest of my life. Its a special place, man. Its loud, its bright, its incredible. Like you said, its electric, man. Thats the word to describe it. You walk on and its instant electricity, instant caffeine (laugh). Its like you dont even need to drink coffee. Q: Do you like the expectations with Juan Soto on the team? A: Its 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. Hes one of the best hitters in our game, if not the best hitter in our game, right? Its really fun watching him do his thing and watching him just crush balls all over the field. Its really cool, man. Q: How much are you looking forward to the Subway Series atmosphere? A: From what Ive heard its incredible, right? I used to watch them when I was a kid. But yeah, Im looking forward to it. Obviously theres a ton of history between the Yankees and the Mets and everyone in New York. Its a celebration of both baseball teams whenever they get to meet up in the regular season. Its cool, man. Itll be cool to be a part of, itll be cool to play in. Itll kind of be like one of those things that when its happening, Ill 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: Im a New York Met, so I rock with the Mets, man. Q: From waving Mets fans after a grand slam in 2019 to , you seem to relish the role of the villain at times. Is that right? A: I dont know, man. I dont know if Im nece sarily a villain. I just try to play, and play hard, and help the team win. Everything else that happens, those are the only things Im trying to do is help the team win, and play. Je se Winker swings during a spring training game against the Astros on Feb. 25. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post Q: Why do you think youve become a fan favorite in New York? A: I dont even know how to answer that. To be regarded as that, its a very honorable thing, Im very grateful. Obviously theres 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 dont know, man, I feel like theres so many talented guys on this roster that theres a bunch of fan favorites, and Im just trying to do my part in helping us win. I dont know, I feel like thats a better question to ask others, I dont know if I can really answer that. Q: What are your thoughts on being a DH? A: Ill do whatever is asked of me. It its DHing, if its playing the outfield, if its pinch-hitting, pinch-running, Ill 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: Ive known Francisco for a really long time. He goes about everything incredibly. Hes awesome. He cares about everybody in the clubhouse. Hes a great leader, and on top of that hes an outstanding player, and everything he does on the field speaks for itself. Just a great dude. Q: Carlos Mendoza. A: Mendys great, man. Hes 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. Theres Justise Winslow Jersey not a better feeling than working really hard and then winning a game. A lot of joy comes from that. Je se Winker connects for a triple during the Mets NLCS game against the Dodgers on Oct. 18. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post Je se Winker reacts during the Mets Oct. 18 playoff game against the Dodgers in the NLCS. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post Q: Where does your emotion come from? A: I dont know, I think Ive 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. Im sure theres people that know me for a long time that could vouch for that. I just think thats 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 werent able to like whine or complain or bitch and moan, you just had to go play. Theres times when someone older than you may have you go acro s the middle and catch a ball and get hit pretty hard (laugh). I dont know, man, I think its kind of just how Ive been my whole life. See Also New York Mets 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 youve seen guys that have won, it appears that when theyre done, theyre exhausted. I remember watching documentaries on Michael Jordan and all that, and youd 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 athletes different in their own mindset when it comes to how they handle certain things, and I think for me, its 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. Its an honor, and Ive learned so much from my daughter because obviously shes 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 dads 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 pa sion for something, she pursues it to her 100 percent ability, because when shes doing that, Im 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 thats my favorite time. I have a ton of love for my little girl and Im very grateful for her. Shes on a great progre sion, man. Im stoked, and she comes back on the [March 8], and I cant wait to see her. Je se Winker slams his helmet after scoring for the Mets during an Oct. 3 playoff game against the Brewers. Jason Szenes for the NY Post Q: Describe her for me. A: Oh man! (laugh). Wren is a go-getter. Wren has a great heart. Shes a beautiful person. Shes got an amazing imagination. Shes very creative. Shes very intelligent. She cares about others. Shes so pure. I think thats how Id describe her, shes pure. Shes amazing. I cant say enough amazing things about her, Im so grateful for her. Shes incredible. See Also New York Mets Q: What is the biggest adversity youve had to overcome? A: I think Im 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 Crohns 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. Its something that hes dealt with every day of his life since then. Its a terrible thing for anybody to have to go through but especially a 16-year-old kid having a life-altering thing happen. Hes doing his thing now, and hes 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 theres 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 didnt make a team. I definitely cried, I would a sume. I dont think anybody likes hearing youre 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 didnt 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 didnt play to my capabilities. Eugenio Suarez reacts with Je se Winker during the Mariners game in May 2022 against the Mets. AP Q: What was the low point for you? A: There was a lot, man, there was a lot. I dont 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 youre in a neck brace, you cant really do much activity, youre very limited. So probably around then, I would a sume. Q: What was the period like before the Nationals gave you a 2024 minor league offer? A: Thats why Im thankful I have an outstanding agent [Casey Close]. Im 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 gue s then. Q: Why did you decide to grow it out? A: I would get my beard lined up and everything, but yeah, I just didnt really feel like cutting my hair. I dont really have an answer to that (laugh). Je se Winker swings during the Mets spring training game against the Astros on Feb. 27. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post 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 thats cool, thats great. Its 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 cla ses, Ive taken them all throughout my career. When Im done playing, Im going to go more into it. I would never fight profe sionally. but Id want to train. I would train as if I were to box but I just wouldnt. Q: Favorite movie? A: Goodfellas. Q: Favorite actor? A: Joe Pesci. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Q: Favorite actre s? 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, Ive smoked that cigar on Christmas morning. That cigars incredible. Je se Winker celebrates after the Mets clinched a spot in the NLCS during the 2024 playoffs. Charles Wenzelberg 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 theres a bunch of talent here, and as a player, its extremely exciting to be a part of this. I just want to go play these games. Xavier Tillman Jersey