Mets on High Alert! Starling Marte Sweepstakes Heats Up – will They Land the Prized Outfielder?
The New York Mets already tried trading Starling Marte this offseason. However, the veteran bat remains on the club’s stacked roster with camp about to begin.
Back in December during Winter Meetings, the Mets had a deal on the table that would have sent Marte to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-handed relief pitcher Hunter Harvey. This swap would’ve exchanged two rental players with differing salaries. The Mets offered to pay down a portion of Marte’s $20.75 million salary while Harvey is making just $3.7 million in 2025.
But an agreement was never reached and there has been little-to-no traction on a trade of Marte ever since.
With mandatory workouts set to begin on Monday, Feb. 17 in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Marte’s situation hasn’t changed much.
As a source told Mets On SI on Friday, the Mets are still open to trading Marte, 36, if the right deal arises, but the current expectation is that he will stick with the club.
Marte is said to be happy with his role and loves playing for the Mets. He also provides the type of positional flexibility that president of baseball operations David Stearns and manager Carlos Mendoza value.
While the Mets could still pounce for a proper return, Marte’s bat is solid and he will be utilized as a right-handed hitting DH platoon with the lefty swinging Jesse Winker. Both sluggers are serving as outfield depth alongside Tyrone Taylor. Brandon Nimmo, Jose Siri and Juan Soto could make up the starting outfield alignment from left to right on most days.
Jeff McNeil can also play left field. And keep in mind, Nimmo is coming back from plantar fasciitis which means it may make sense to DH him on certain days early on in the year, which opens up left field for McNeil, Marte and Winker.
