Jesse Winker takes shot at former team after offseason trade

Mar 17, 2022; Peoria, AZ, USA; Seattle Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker during spring training workouts at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Jesse Winker moved from the Cincinnati Reds to the Seattle Mariners during the offseason, and he sounds absolutely thrilled with the move.

Winker took a clear shot at his former team Sunday following the Mariners’ 5-4 12-inning win over the Royals. The outfielder said he’d always wanted to play for an organization that was trying to win, with the clear implication being that the Reds were not.

“I’ve been playing my whole career to be part of an organization that wants to win” -Jesse Winker 🥺

— Lookout Landing (@LookoutLanding) April 25, 2022

Winker broke in with the Reds in 2017. His only taste of the postseason was two games in the expanded 2020 postseason, which saw the Reds held scoreless for 22 innings in a pair of losses to the Atlanta Braves. Winker’s trade in the offseason was one of several that suggested the Reds were cutting costs and rebuilding despite a relative lack of recent success.

Reds fans probably won’t be angry at Winker over these comments. If anything, they’ll probably find themselves in agreement.