Marte puts horrid ’23 in rearview
It took more than two months — it didn’t happen until June 4, 55 games into his season — for Starling Marte to launch his third home run last season.
This year, it took less than three weeks. The Mets outfielder/DH launched a tworun, go-ahead dinger in Wednesday’s third inning, the 150th of his career and an encouraging sign from a player whose ceiling has proven high and whose floor has proven low.
Marte — a 2022 All-Star and 2023 disappointment amid injury issues — looked more like the former version in a 9-1 win over the Pirates to clinch a series sweep at Citi Field.
As he turned on a curveball from Bailey Falter and drilled it an estimated 383 feet to left-center, Marte sure looked healthy.
“I feel good,” Marte said through interpreter Alan Suriel after a down 2023 in which he dealt with migraines and the aftereffects of groin surgery. “Last year is a year that I want to forget. But at this point last year, I was fine, and a little bit after that was when I started to really deal with it, whether it was the migraines, whether it was the stuff with my legs.
“But right now, I feel really good.” Through the first 18 games of what he hopes will be a bounce-back season, Marte has improved from last season but not yet reached his All-Star heights. After a 1-for-5 day, the contact-heavy Marte is hitting .267 with a .734 OPS, solid if not sterling numbers.
The Mets and Marte can be encouraged by how he feels and mostly encouraged by how he has played.
There are still concerns with the 35-yearold, who has not performed well in the outfield and whose sprint speed has dipped. But if his bat speed is still intact and he can prove that last season was more about his health than his age, Marte would be an important player for the Mets.
“I think last year … there were things that were limiting me,” said Marte, who has risen back to his more-accustomed No. 2 spot in the order. “But up until this point, I really feel good.”
Marte served as DH on the afternoon and has received some run in the spot with J.D. Martinez still out of the picture. Marte has passed most of the tests throughout the first few weeks of the season. Playing most days defensively and remaining productive would be the next hurdle, with Martinez perhaps joining the team late next week.
More swings like Wednesday’s would ensure Marte’s bat remains in the lineup. The 13th-year major leaguer and third-year Met became the 34th player in MLB history to notch 150 homers and 300 or more steals.
“Just continue competing,” Marte said. “Continue reaching milestones and goals and also for the team to continue winning. That’s all that I really focus on.”