"We were talking about TikTok and lefty homers" - Seattle Mariners newest acquisition talks about Cincinnati Reds trading him

Jesse Winker, the newest member of the Seattle Mariners, spoke candidly about his experience being traded by the Cincinnati Reds. After being drafted by the Reds in 2012, Jesse Winker joined the MLB in 2017 and immediately proved himself to be an impact player. Winker, who plays left field, has been consistently great in defense and is now coming off the best offensive season of his career.

Jesse Winker spent his entire career with the Cincinnati Reds organization prior to this trade and was saddened to leave the city he had called home for so long. This sudden move took the star outfielder by surprise as he was well-respected within the franchise and adored by the fanbase. Thankfully, Jesse Winker is excited for his new start in the Pacific Northwest.

The Cincinnati Reds bade farewell to Winker following his trade to the Seattle Mariners via a tweet.

"Thank you, Jesse Winker, for being a prime representative of the Reds and Cincinnati from your draft selection in 2012 through your All-Star season in 2021. We wish you and your family all the best in Seattle." -@Reds

The Seattle Mariners are primed for success after trade with Cincinnati Reds

The Mariners led the league in fun differential

With the addition of Jesse Winker, the Seattle Mariners are poised to take the next step and compete for a division title. Jesse Winker set career highs in nearly every offensive metric in 2021, where he had 24 home runs and a .305 batting average. Most impressively, he had a WAR of 2.7 for the Cincinnati Reds and will look to continue this high level of play with the Mariners.

The value Jesse Winker brings with him to the Mariners was stated by Jeff Passan in a tweet.

"Why does Jesse Winker make all the sense in the world for Seattle? He has destroyed right-handers the last two years. And in an AL West that’s particularly heavy with RHP, he looks awfully good in the middle of the Mariners’ lineup. Huge get as Seattle builds for the future." -@JeffPassan

The Seattle Mariners ended 2021 as one of the hottest teams in baseball, with 12 wins in their final 16 games, and just barely missed the playoffs. With a young roster, it was apparent to all that they would chase improvement in the offseason. The bar has definitely been raised for the Seattle Mariners with the acquisition of Cincinnati Reds star Jesse Winker, providing a massive boost to their championship odds.