NEW YORK — Jesse Winker once said that he “loves” Mets fans. He’ll now have a chance to build a lasting relationship with them.

The Mets agreed to terms late Saturday on a trade to acquire Winker from the Nationals, a source confirmed, giving the Mets a much-needed left-handed outfielder to complement their current mix. With Starling Marte continuing to nurse a bone bruise in his right knee, Winker can hold down a corner spot in the short term and perhaps share time with Marte in September and beyond.

The Mets have not confirmed the deal because it is pending medical review. It’s also not clear what the team is sending to Washington in exchange. Winker, who signed a $2 million contract with the Nationals last offseason, is a pure rental who will be a free agent in November.

The 30-year-old Winker is in the midst of a bounce-back season following a pair of injury-laden down years, with a .253/.372/.417 slash line and 11 home runs over 100 games. He has played mostly in left field for the Nationals but has plenty of experience in right. That will come in handy with his new team, as Brandon Nimmo is entrenched as the Mets’ everyday starter in left.

In New York, Winker is best-known for a series of interactions over the past five years that turned him into a Citi Field heel. In 2019 with the Reds, Winker waved to fans at the ballpark after multiple key plays, including a go-ahead home run and a sliding, game-ending catch. Three years later with the Mariners, Winker hit a game-tying, three run homer and again waved to the crowd as he crossed home plate. A Buffalo, N.Y. native, Winker has had several other playful interactions at Citi over the years, once trading a baseball with a fan in exchange for a hand-written sign.

“I’m going to be honest with you, I love them,” Winker said in 2022. “They are an amazing group of people. They are very passionate about their team and their city. And from a guy who, born in upstate New York, is a big fan of that football team up there [the Bills], I can understand the passion and I respect it. This thing we’ve got going on is special.”

Now, Winker and Mets fans are on the same side.

An eight-year veteran, Winker was an All-Star in 2021, hitting 24 homers with a .949 OPS in 110 games for the Reds. Although he has never reached those heights before or since, Winker is in the midst of his best season since then. Key to Winker’s game is his plate discipline; he ranks in the 97th percentile in MLB in both chase rate and walk rate.

Essentially, Winker is an upgrade over DJ Stewart, who had been the Mets’ top left-handed bench bat and an infrequent starter in right field. The Mets had reportedly checked in on Michael Conforto for that gig, but Winker has constructed a stronger season than Conforto in most every regard. With Marte sidelined, the Mets have been using a mix of Stewart, Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor in right. Winker presents more of an everyday solution.

The Mets have now made three additions leading up to the Trade Deadline in Winker, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek. The latter two pitchers filled an obvious bullpen need, while Winker can help shore up the bench. What remains to be seen is if the Mets will address their rotation, which recently lost to key members in Christian Scott and Kodai Senga. The team announced Saturday that Senga is likely to miss the rest of the regular season recovering from a left calf strain.