Some times he moves quickly. Other times, he works in slow motion. Either way, he’ll do it anywhere. In Cincinnati, the city where he became an all-star with the Reds in 2021, Winker practiced in the back right corner of the visitor’s clubhouse. This past weekend, before a game in Oakland, Winker stood alone on the warning track with his bat.
“He knows if his hands gets a little bit away from him. He knows if they’re a little too close, he knows exactly what distance he wants them from his body,” hitting coach Darnell Coles said. “And as he starts to move, he knows exactly the hand position he’s looking for … He’s very meticulous in everything he does.”
This attention to detail has helped fuel Winker’s hot start. Through 17 games, Winker is hitting .364, with a .485 on-base percentage and a .582 slugging percentage, and entered Thursday’s games tied for the fifth-highest OPS (1.067) in the majors.
“I feel good with the work I’m putting in,” said Winker, who joined the Nationals this offseason on a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training.
Winker was dealing with a back injury last season, which limited him to 61 games with the Milwaukee Brewers. He finished last season with a .199 batting average, .320 on base percentage and .247 slugging percentage. He had more strikeouts (51) than hits (33). The Nationals hoped that Winker could return to his past form.
This offseason, shortstop CJ Abrams and Winker formed a bond working out together at the Maven Baseball Lab in Atlanta. And Abrams was thrilled when Washington signed Winker. Abrams said Winker, who seems to have made an effort to take Washington’s young hitters under his wing, has been the veteran mentor that he’s needed.
“Paying attention to detail,” Abrams said about Winker’s success. “Every day, he’s working and making sure everything is perfect with his swing.”
Abrams said he often picks Winker’s brain because their swings are similar. Winker and Abrams, who is hitting .295 with a 1.014 OPS, have been two of the bright spots in a Nationals offense that has struggled as a whole.
“Having hit in the same place all winter, I think they share information,” Coles said. “They know each other’s swing backward and forward. So anytime one gets a little out of sync, they talk to each other.”
Winker’s attention to detail extends beyond the batter’s box. The Nationals also signed Joey Gallo and Eddie Rosario ahead of the season, creating a logjam of left-handed outfielders this spring. The team moved Gallo to first base so that Joey Meneses could be the team’s designated hitter and planned to play Winker in left.
That planned seemed flawed. Gallo was a two-time Gold Glove winner. Winker isn’t known for his defense — he’s never had a positive outs above average (OAA), which measures a player’s range in the field. His career high is 0. His range hasn’t been significantly better this season at -3 OAA. But Winker has 3 outfield assists already, third in the major leagues going into Thursday’s games.
Winker set the tone on opening weekend, throwing out a runner at home plate in Washington’s second game. He sprinted off the field and pumped his fist before high-fiving his teammates at the dugout steps.
Back in Washington the next week, Winker threw out Philadelphia second baseman Bryson Stott at home for an inning-ending double play. He followed that up the next day with a leaping catch at the wall at Nationals Park. And on Sunday in Oakland, he dove for a ball and missed, but recovered to throw out J.J. Bleday.
Winker credited first base coach Gerardo Parra for helping him with his accuracy. The two throw on the field before games. And after one throwing session in Cincinnati earlier this year, Parra stopped Winker to have a conversation. Parra stood in front of Winker as he slowly repeated his throwing motion. Parra grabbed Winker’s arm and moved it closer to his face.
Parra was reinforcing a mechanical adjustment. Winker, a lefty, has a natural tail to his throws that move like a cutter when his release point is too wide and Winker drops his elbow. But when he releases the ball closer to his head, he has a higher release point and gets the proper backspin he needs to get the ball to the right base on a line.
“I’m just thankful to be able to play baseball,” Winker said. “I’m thankful to put on a jersey. … You can see that there’s a bright future ahead here. And there’s a lot of guys here that are very talented. And it’s just fun to be a part of.”
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