When healthy, Starling Marte of the New York Mets is one of baseball’s most dynamic players.
That is the main problem with Marte: in recent years, he has had very few seasons of health.
He participated in 86 games last year, 118 in 2022, and 120 in 2021.
Injuries just keep getting in the way.
The outfielder is currently healthy, though, and he is participating in some winter ball.
A few of the outcomes from his first eight games in the Dominican Republic were tweeted by the New York Mets.
“Starling Marte has played in 8 LIDOM games, producing strong results. An in-person account from @martinonyc: ‘Marte was all smiles all weekend long, as he ran, hit and manned right field like a healthy player, and met the Mets’ new leadership team. The outfielder, who saw his 2023 season spoiled by a halting recovery from groin surgery, says that he feels good now,’” they tweeted.
Marte’s lack of health forced him to withdraw from the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic team last year, and it was evident as he spent half of the season with the Mets.
Still, the scene is far more hopeful now.
After a few more games in the Dominican Republic, Marte is expected to return fully healthy to spring training if all goes according to plan and there are no unforeseen injuries or setbacks.
When Marte is healthy, as we all know, he can hit 15–20 home runs and steal over 30 bags, making him a potent presence at the top of the Mets lineup.
He is still a top player and a key component of the Mets’ 2024 strategy.