Mets Monday Morning GM: How does the Starling Marte tenure end?

A lack of effort is the one quality no fan will tolerate. With two outs in the top of the fourth on Saturday, New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte defied the odds by allowing a flyball with a 95% catch probability to fall in front of him. The Philadelphia Phillies scored a run and the wheels came off immediately after for starting pitcher Sean Manaea. It was, without a doubt, the turning point of the game and the defining moment of game one in London.

Were the conditions to blame? Difficult visibility is what Marte and others referenced after the game.

On the other hand, this is nothing new. As Anthony DiComo noted, Marte has been among the worst fielders at any position this year when it comes to Outs Above Average.

Marte is a Mets player many were ready to send packing in the offseason. An unimpressive 2023 season filled with injuries, he lost a lot of the good faith he earned with his impressive 2022 season when he was an All-Star for the team. In the third season of his four-year contract, the Mets need to start thinking about what’s next.

Option One: Will the Mets trade Starling Marte this summer?

If the Mets find a taker, they need to send him somewhere else. He simply isn’t a reliable enough everyday player as a hitter or position player. A salary of over $20 million for next year makes him a burden on the payroll even with Steve Cohen’s pockets running deep.

Trading him for notable prospects while picking up his salary probably won’t happen. The Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander deals from last summer seem more one-of-a-kind than a newfound trend. What’s more, those two were far more important to what their new teams could achieve. Starting pitchers are far more valuable than any position player, particularly one who doesn’t play a position all that well and is a bit more mysterious at the plate.

To answer the question, “no.” It would be a shock to see someone think of Marte as anything more than a DH.

Option Two: What do the Mets do with Starling Marte in the offseason?

Assuming he stays and no one is foolish enough to take on Marte in any capacity, the Mets will need to consider swapping him for another bad contract or designate him for assignment. The latter seems a bit extreme given the fact he isn’t a zero on offense. Marte can still hit in doses. His outfield range has diminished and yet he can swipe bags at a high level.

The Mets can’t keep trading away guys while eating the salary. That’s no way to behave especially when, as we saw this winter, it got in the way of making some moves. We’re fortunate J.D. Martinez’s asking price took a nosedive. Although, if it hadn’t, there’d be an obvious opening for Marte as a more regular DH option.

This alternative timeline wouldn’t satisfy. The issue is how many years Billy Eppler signed him to and how each season the 162 game schedule pounds him harder.

There is no fully satisfying ending for Marte in the offseason because of the money tied to him. Not a peep of a rumored trade made its way publicly over this last winter. In which case, if they’re stuck with him, what role can he have?