Why did Jesse Winker leave game vs. Cardinals? All we know about Met’s star’s oblique injury

New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker exited Sunday’s game early due to an oblique injury. He said he was feeling uncomfortable on his right side during the doubleheader game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday.

According to reports, the incident took place during the third inning and Winker was immediately switched with Jeff McNeil, and Mark Vientos played third. The Mets went on to lose the game 6-5.

He underwent an MRI with an oblique injury highly suspected. Speaking to the press after the game, NY Mets manager Carlos Mendoza commented on Jesse Winker's injury.

"On the right side in the oblique area, he got hurt on the throw to home plate," Mendoza said. "So, we'll see what we're dealing with here. When you hear that area, those are tricky. I don't want to get ahead of myself here."

While Jesse Winker’s IL countdown is on hold, it is expected that he’ll land on the 10-day injured list with the injury. During the postgame interview, the outfielder said that he immediately felt the pain when it happened.

“I felt it pretty much right when I threw the ball,” Winker said. “I’m going to wait till those tests and figure it out from there.”

Apart from his current injury, Winker also suffered from a right wrist injury in 2014, a right shoulder injury in 2018, and knee and neck surgery in 2022. The team will hope to find a quick opening for Winker to return, but a definite date is yet unknown.

Jesse Winker's performance so far in 2025 season

Winker [Source: Imagn]

Before injury hit, Jesse Winker recorded a batting line of .239/.321/.418 in 24 games. In his last seven games, he earned a batting average of .300.

Overall, Winker’s record for the 2025 regular season remains .239 with 1 HR, 10 RBIs in 24 games. If he lands on the injured list, outfielder Starling Marte can be designated as the team’s hitter.

It was his first time playing left field this season as he focused more on being a designated hitter for the New York Mets. As the situation stands now, it is hard to keep Winker’s name on the list for the team’s series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.