Brewers shortstop and Mets outfielder Jesse Winker exchanged words during Game 1 of the Wild Card Series and it appeared — according to social media lip readers — that Adames suggested the two meet in the parking lot after the game (an 8-4 Mets win) to further sort it out.
Here’s a look:
According to Adames, via the New York Post, he did wait in the parking lot on Tuesday. Winker didn’t show.
“He just started yelling to me straight-up. In the heat of the moment, I’m not going to back down. So we were just chirping. I don’t know what he was mad about.”
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“I was there (in the lot),” Adames added, saying Winker didn’t show.
The Mets and Brewers wrapped up their series on Thursday as New York stormed back in the ninth inning to advance to the NLDS thanks to Pete Alonso’s game-winning home run. Winker also scored later in the four-run ninth inning, spiking his helmet after sliding into home:
An interesting note here is Winker and Adames were teammates with the Brewers just last season. Winker appeared in 61 games for the Brewers and posted -0.7 WAR.
Winker is no stranger to having beef with others in the baseball world. He once flipped off the Angels crowd in Anaheim. In 2022, he was with the Mariners during the regular season and was injured for the playoffs. He was not with the team during the playoffs and Mariners beat writer Ryan Divish said the following (via cincinnati.com):
I was curious because he didn’t make the trip when we went to Toronto and then Houston, and I asked. And they said, ‘Well, he wanted to get a second opinion on his neck.’ … I think they probably just told him to go home. I mean, it speaks to that. I think by the end of the season, it’s what scouts call a tired act. I just think some of his teammates were done with him, were just tired of putting up with him.
This season, Winker bounced back and was productive for the Nationals, piquing the interest of the Mets to the point that they traded for him in July. In 44 games for the Mets, Winker hit .243 with a 95 OPS+.
Adames, 29, hit .251/.331/.462 (118 OPS+) with 32 homers, 112 RBI and 21 steals this season for the Brewers. He’s set to hit free agency after this season.
