Fantasy News

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Clubs two-run homer

  Rotowire Apr 17, 2024

  Winker went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and a double in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Dodgers. Winker was the only one in the Nationals' lineup with multiple hits, as he accounted for six total bases while the rest of his teammates combined for four. He doubled his first time up and then took Ryan Yarbrough deep to right in the third for his second long ball of the year. Winker struggled with his bat over the last two seasons in Seattle and Milwaukee, but he is off to a blistering start this year, hitting .373/.500/.608 with five RBI, 11 runs and a 9:10 BB:K in 64 plate appearances.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Perfect at plate Friday

  Rotowire Apr 13, 2024

  Winker went 4-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in Friday's extra-inning loss to the A's. The 30-year-old outfielder did everything he could to get the Nationals into the win column in a 2-1 loss, but the rest of the team only managed four hits combined. Winker is off to a blistering start to 2024, batting .361 (13-for-36) through 12 games with three doubles, a homer, a steal, three RBI and seven runs, but the lackluster lineup around him has limited his fantasy production.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Swipes rare bag Wednesday

  Rotowire Apr 11, 2024

  Winker went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Wednesday's 7-1 loss to the Giants. The 30-year-old outfielder has never stolen more than one base in a season, with his last pilfer coming July 1, 2021. Winker's had a solid start to the campaign and, most importantly, has looked healthy, batting .281 (9-for-32) through 11 games with two RBI, six runs and an 8:7 BB:K, although his only two extra-base hits have been doubles.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Back in lineup Thursday

  Rotowire Apr 4, 2024

  Winker (illness) will start in left field and bat sixth in Thursday's game versus the Pirates. Winker has dealt with an illness this week but is feeling well enough to play Thursday. It's a bit of a surprise he's in the lineup at all since the Pirates are starting lefty Martin Perez, and the left-handed hitting Winker has a career .657 OPS versus southpaws.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Not in lineup

  Rotowire Apr 3, 2024

  Winker (illness) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Pirates, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. Winker had to be removed from Monday's 8-4 loss to Pittsburgh due to an illness. Even after Tuesday's off day, Winker won't rejoin the lineup, though it's unclear whether he's still not feeling well or if he's just getting an extra day to rest up. Eddie Rosario will play left field and Victor Robles will be in center while Winker is on the bench.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Left game due to illness

  Rotowire Apr 1, 2024

  Winker was removed from Monday's game against the Pirates due to illness, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. This is good news for the Nationals, as it likely means Winker will return within a day or two. The team should know more about Winker's availability for Wednesday after re-evaluating him Tuesday.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Exits with apparent injury

  Rotowire Apr 1, 2024

  Winker was removed from Monday's game against the Pirates with an apparent injury, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. Winker didn't suffer an obvious injury but was replaced in left field by Eddie Rosario to begin the top of the second inning. He didn't take an at-bat or have a ball hit to him before being lifted. The Nationals should provide more clarity on Winker's situation soon.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: On base three times Sunday

  Rotowire Apr 1, 2024

  Winker went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double in Sunday's loss to the Reds. Facing the club he made his big-league debut with in 2017, Winker continues his hot start to the season but wasn't able to generate any production outside of his OBP. The 30-year-old has started all three games in left field for the Nationals so far while Eddie Rosario gets a look in center field, and Winker's 5-for-11 showing with a 2:3 BB:K should keep him in the lineup, even if he has only one run and one RBI to show for it so far.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Officially makes roster

  Rotowire Mar 24, 2024

  The Nationals selected Winker to the major-league roster Sunday. The 30-year-old joined the Nationals as a non-roster invitee in February and earned a place on the Opening Day roster with a .932 OPS in 15 Grapefruit League games. Winker posted a .567 OPS with Milwaukee last season but was limited to 61 games while returning from neck and knee surgeries, and he'll likely need to be more productive in 2024 in order to stick around in Washington.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Battling for roster spot

  Rotowire Mar 12, 2024

  Winker could miss out on a big-league roster spot with the Nationals after the team added Eddie Rosario last week, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports. The 30-year-old Winker looked like a good bet to break camp with the Nats when he signed an NRI deal in February, provided that he was healthy and could re-discover his old form at the plate. He's held up his end up that bargain so far, batting .350 (7-for-20) through nine spring games with two doubles and a 5:4 BB:K, but the Rosario signing likely bumps Joey Gallo from left field to first base and Joey Meneses from 1B to DH, seeming to leave little room for a defensively limited player like Winker.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Healthy to begin spring

  Rotowire Feb 17, 2024

  Winker says his struggles last season were due to a prolonged recovery from multiple surgeries in the prior offseason, Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports reports. The 30-year-old underwent knee surgery in October 2022 and followed it up with disc replacement surgery in his neck, so it's perhaps not surprising in retrospect that he never seemed comfortable at the plate in 2023. "I think the recovery was a little bit harder than I thought it was going to be," Winker said Friday. "It took me a little bit longer than I thought, but I think I'm in a really good spot now. For me, that's all that matters. Obviously, I learned a lot going through those, and I'm happy I did." Winker signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals last week as he looks to make a comeback, and he posted a .305/.394/.556 slash line in 110 games for the Reds as recently as 2021. If he is 100 percent healthy again, he could quickly move into a regular role as the primary DH on a Washington roster in dire need of offense.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Nationals' Jesse Winker: Inks NRI deal with Nationals

  Rotowire Feb 12, 2024

  Winker signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports. Winker has been in a tailspin the last two seasons, slashing just .214/.337/.318 between the Mariners and Brewers while battling multiple injuries. The Nationals will hope the player who had an .888 OPS from 2017-21 can reemerge. Winker should be in the mix at designated hitter and left field against right-handed pitching.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Included on wild-card roster

  Rotowire Oct 3, 2023

  Winker (quad/back) is on the Brewers' roster for their NL Wild Card Series matchup versus the Diamondbacks. Winker missed the final two months of the regular season due to back and quad injuries, but he has suddenly reemerged -- likely as a pinch-hitting option against righties -- for this best-of-three series against Arizona. The 30-year-old left-handed hitter owns a career .853 OPS versus right-handed pitching.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Resumes rehab assignment

  Rotowire Sep 12, 2023

  Winker (quadricep/back) is scheduled to resume his rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Nashville, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Winker suffered a quad injury while playing in a game for Nashville earlier this month, but it has proven to be a minor setback and he could return to the Brewers as early as this weekend. The 30-year-old originally landed on the 10-day injured list July 26 with back spasms.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Rehab moves to Triple-A

  Rotowire Aug 22, 2023

  Winker (back) shifted his rehab assignment Tuesday to Triple-A Nashville, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Winker is now just one step away from returning to the Brewers' active major-league roster after going 5-for-13 in four games with High-A Wisconsin. He's been sidelined since late July due to back spasms.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Cleared for rehab assignment

  Rotowire Aug 9, 2023

  Winker (back) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Wisconsin next week, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Winker has been on the shelf since late July due to back spasms. While it sounds like he should be able to return to the Brewers before long, he might not have much of a role with the big club at this point amidst another injury-shortened, disappointing season.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Lands on IL

  Rotowire Jul 26, 2023

  Milwaukee placed Winker on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with back spasms. Winker will be unavailable for at least nine more days as he tends to a troublesome back. Abraham Toro was recalled from Triple-A Nashville and will replace Winker on the 26-man active roster. Before being deactivated, Winker appeared to have lost hold of his role as a strong-side platoon man at designated hitter. He was on the bench for three of Milwaukee's last five matchups with right-handed starting pitchers.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Losing work against right-handers

  Rotowire Jul 24, 2023

  Winker is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Reds. Winker has now sat out three times in the last five games, with all three of those absences coming against right-handed pitching. The 30-year-old has been a strict platoon player all season, but his underwhelming .557 OPS in 183 plate appearances versus righties looks as though it's beginning to cost him playing time. Since Winker offers little defensive value as a corner outfielder, he could wind up being a roster casualty if he doesn't show dramatic improvement with his hitting. Winker is on an $8.25 million salary for 2023 but is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: Hits bench versus righty

  Rotowire Jul 23, 2023

  Winker is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta. The lefty-hitting Winker is bowing out of the lineup versus a right-hander (Bryce Elder) after an 0-for-3 day at the dish in Saturday's 4-3 win dropped his batting average to .194 for the season. The Brewers haven't yet pulled the plug on Winker as their regular designated hitter versus right-handed pitching, but his standing atop the depth chart could be shaky while he's struggled throughout the campaign to supplement his on-base skills with power (career-low .048 ISO).

  ... See More ... See Less

• Brewers' Jesse Winker: On bench against lefty

  Rotowire Jul 19, 2023

  Winker is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies. The Phillies are bringing lefty Cristopher Sanchez to the hill for the series finale, so the lefty-hitting Winker will unsurprisingly head to the bench. Christian Yelich will get a day out of the outfield and will replace Winker as the Brewers' designated hitter.

  ... See More ... See Less