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The New York Mets are expected to be among the big-time buyers ahead of Thursday’s MLB trade deadline. However, it sounds like they could also move a big piece or two off their big league roster.
One of those pieces could be designated hitter Starling Marte. The New York Post’s Mike Puma reported Sunday that the Mets have received calls about the veteran slugger. The actual level of interest from teams in the 36-year-old is unclear.
However, Marte’s recent tear might have teams excited about what he could add to a lineup for the stretch run. Marte’s average dropped to .205 on June 4, but he has largely turned things around since then. He’s hitting .371 (26-for-70) with seven doubles, one home run and six runs batted in. He has just 14 strikeouts to go along with six walks over that stretch, a 19-game sample size in which he’s posted a .930 OPS.
Those numbers aren’t exactly setting the world on fire, but it’s steady production. Marte’s value also seems largely tied to his bat, as the Mets haven’t really used the former Gold Glove outfielder in the field at all this season. Of his 50 starts, 40 of those have come as a designated hitter. However, a team with limited outfield depth might be tempted to trot him back out there. He played 85 games in right field for New York last season and still managed to lead the league with six outfield assists.
The contract is a potential hurdle, too. Marte is in the final season of a four-year, $78 million deal he signed prior to 2022. As MLB Trade Rumors notes, there’s about $6.4 million left on that for this season. That should be pretty manageable for most teams, but an acquiring team could also have New York pick up the tab.
The Mets might be inclined to do so, as they have a surplus of bats. Given how they’ve been reportedly connected to players like Luis Robert Jr., Cedric Mullins and even Eugenio Suarez, they might have to move a player like Marte to clear some runway.
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