Does Starling Marte fit into the Mets blueprint?

Marte is essentially a part-time player as he enters free agency this winter

New York Post

Starling Marte will enter free agency this winter after spending the last four years with the Mets. It was an injury-plagued four years for Marte, who produced a total of 4.7 bWAR during that span, although he did hit .272/.329/.405 during his tenure here. His 2022 season was his best, healthiest, and most productive with the Mets, but he suffered a broken hand towards the end of the season, which hindered both him and the team in the stretch drive that year and limited him to 118 games that year.

In the three years that followed, Marte played 278 games total, although he was relegated to part-time duty this season, which contributed to him playing in only 98 games. He was productive for the Mets in 2025 and had a really nice season, hitting .270/.335/.410 with a 111 OPS+ and 112 wRC+ over 329 plate appearances.

But how much value did that provide the Mets? His 0.7 fWAR in 2025 would certainly suggest his salary was inflated, and while he did lengthen the lineup when he was in there, he wasn’t in there enough. The same can probably be said about the last three years for Marte, who was battered by a bad knee and a bunch of other injuries.

In addition, he only made 10 appearances in the field for the Mets this season, which is indicative of what he is at this point in his career, which is essentially a right-handed bat off the bench and a designated hitter against left-handed pitching. All told, he was a $19.5 million bench player this season, which we knew would be the case after the Mets were reportedly trying to move him last winter and into spring training.

I think we all knew the back end of this deal for Marte wouldn’t be pretty, but all agreed that he was an important piece for 2022 and 2023, and the price tag was giving him that fourth year. I don’t think Billy Eppler—the GM at the time who signed Marte—could’ve anticipated Marte becoming a fractional player so quickly, but I also don’t necessarily believe his diminishment hurt the Mets that badly, especially this season when he provided value when he played as well as a veteran presence inside the clubhouse. He was just an expensive part-time player for an owner where money really isn’t an object.

So, is Marte a fit for the Mets to bring back? Well, certainly not at $19.5 million, even if money is no object. But there is value with Marte at a more cost-efficient salary assuming there is mutual interest. But I am not sure Marte should be the Mets’ first choice since the Mets need a more versatile player for the roster spot heading into next season. Yes, the Mets need a designated hitter, they need a right-handed designated hitter, but is Marte fitting that profile in his age-37 season? I am not sure Marte hits enough or can even play enough to fill that need.

Now, it’s worth mentioning Juan Soto valued having Marte on the roster this past season, and therefore could’ve been a big reason they kept Marte around the entire year. It also sounds like he could be a role model for Ronny Mauricio as well. We knew when the Mets got him they were getting a low-key, good-character guy who was known for his leadership skills, and I think he served that purpose greatly. But is that enough for the Mets to have what is truly a one-dimensional player on their roster, given what they need to do this winter?

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It’s a tough call. My gut says no, but it’s not absolute for me. If they can’t find a bat/glove for this roster spot, and Marte’s salary demands are reasonable, then it could still be a fit. But it’s one of those situations to me where both sides should explore opportunities elsewhere before possibly coming back together.

Before the 2022 season, the Mets signed Marte to a four-year, $78 million contract, during which he earned $19.5 million in each of his last three seasons, which totaled $58.5 million of the $78 million. He originally got a $5 million signing bonus.