Starling Marte- The Mets Years: (2022 - 2024)

Starling Jaavier Marte
was born October 9th, 1988 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At age nine, his mother passed away & he was raised by his grandmother. In 2007 he was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Marte would play eight seasons with the Pirates (2012-2019) hitting .287 with 108 HRs & 420 RBIs in those years. He stole 239 bases, coming in the league's top ten seven of those nine seasons. 

Marte also was in the top ten in triples twice, batting once & made an All-Star team. In the outfield he won two Gold Gloves with the Pirates as well. 

Trivia: Marte hit a HR off the Astros Dall Keuchel in his first MLB at bat on the first big league pitch he saw. He was the third Pirate in team history to homer in his first at bat. It had not been done since Don Leppert in 1961.

In 2020 he was traded to Arizona then to the Marlins in the Covid shortened season. 

In 201 he was sent to the Oakland A's for Jesus Luzardo. Overall, in 2021 he batted .310 with 12 HRs & 55 RBIs.

MLB Stolen Base Leader: Marte stole 22 bases with the Marlins & another 25 with
Oakland. Overall, his 47 steals led the majors.

Mets Career: In the off season he signed with the New York Mets as a free agent.


2022 Mets Wild Card Season: Starling Marte would be the Mets main right fielder in the newly improved team under manager Buck Schowalter. 

On Opening Day he collected an RBI on a force play in the Mets 5-1 over the Nat's in D.C. The next day, he had an RBI double & two run single in the 7-3 Met win.

On April 15th & 16th he homered in back-to-back games with Arizona at Citi Field driving in five runs in the two contests. On April 22nd, in top of the 10th inning of a 5-5 tie with the Diamondbacks in Arizona, he singled off Mark Melancon to give the Mets what was to be the game winning run. 

On April 26th, he closed out his strong Mets first month, driving in two runs in Chris Bassists
combined 3-0 shut out in St. Louis. In that game he had an RBI single & was hit with a pitch with the bases loaded. The Mets players would get hit with many pitches on the season, irking their manager, Buck Schowalter. Marte would get plunked 13 times on the season, third most on the team.

On May 1st, he collected his third muti-three RBI game of the season, with a two-run single & ground out RBI in a 10-6 win in Philadelphia. Marte would have five games with three or more RBIs on the season. From May 2nd to May 8th, he had five straight multi- hit games collecting 11 hits.

Seven Run Mets Comeback: On May 5th, the Mets entered the 9th inning down to the Phillies 7-1. Marte led off the inning with a base hit & would come around to score on Francisco Lindor's two run HR. 

The Mets came back to tie the game & Marte doubled off Corney Knebel bringing home Brandon Mimmo in what was to be the winning run. Marte had homered off Aaron Nola earlier in the game for his third of the year.

Family Passing: On May 22nd, Starling lost his grandmother who passed almost two years to the day his late wife had died. Upon his return to the Mets he homered off the Rockies German Marquez & dedicated the HR "to loved ones up in heaven".

From May 24th to May 30th, Marte drove in nine runs in a seven-game span, collected 12 hits &
batted .375 with two HRs. In the month of May he had 11 multi-hit games raining his season average to .286 by June 1st.

Multi- Four RBI Game: On May 30th, Starling had a season best four RBI game in a 13-5 win at Citi Field over the Nationals. Marte also collected three hits with a two run HR off Erik Fedde 7 a two-run single off Andres Machado.

 It was his fourth multi-RBI game of three or more runs driven in that season. The next day he hit a two run HR off Patrick Corbin in a 10-0 Mets win over the Nat's.

On June 5th, in a big series in Los Angeles with the Dodgers, Marte started the Mets scoring with his seventh HR of the year, a solo shot coming off Julio Urias in the Mets 5-4 win. In June he hit just the one HR & drove in just five runs.

In July he homered in back-to-back games in a series with the Rangers in Texas. 

2022 All Star: At the end of the first half, he was batting .295 with 9 HRs 41 RBIs & 12 stolen bases. Marte was named to his second All Star team but did not play in the AL's 3-2 win at Dodger Stadium. 


Subway Series HR & Walk Off Hit: On July 26th he reached double figures in HRs for the sixth time in his career, hitting his 10th HR coming off Jordan Montgomery in the 6-3 subway series win at Citi Field. 

The next night, he hit a walk off single to left field off Wandy Peralta in the bottom of the 9th inning. In the two games Marte collected four hits, a HR a double & a two RBIs.

The Mets entered August with a comfortable 3.5 game lead over the Braves in first place. Marte was batting .301 & would maintain his average above .290 the rest of the season. 

He began the month with a six-game hit streak & from August 17th to August 31st had six multi-hit games. 

Multi- HR Game: On August 17th Marte had his only multi-HR game of the season, as he hit
two in a much-needed win over the Braves in Atlanta. Marte's HRs came off Jake Odorizzi & Kirby Yates for his 13th & 14th of the season. The Mets dropped three of four in that series.

On August 26th he hit his fifth triple of the year driving in two runs in the Mets 7-6 win over the Rockies at Citi Field. Marte would tie Francisco Lindor for second behind Brandon Nimmo on the team in triples. It was the fifth time in his career he reached the 60 RBI mark in a season.

On August 31st, he hit a two run HR off the Dodgers Tyler Anderson, driving in both Mets runs leading them & Jacob deGrom to a 2-1 victory. It was his 16th HR of the season & his second HR in back-to-back games. 

The Mets started September three game up on the Braves but lost three straight games to the Nats & Pirates putting them in a tie. 

On September 6th Marte went down with a season ending injury giving the team a big blow. The Mets would get their lead up to 2.5 games but after a series sweep in Atlanta, they finished second & lost out in the NL Wild Card series ending their season.

In 2022 Marte played in 118 games, batting .292 with 136 hits 16 HRs 24 doubles 5 triples 76 runs scored & 63 RBIs. He struck out 97 times with 26 walks a .347 on base % & .814 OPS. Marte also stole a team leading 18 bases 27 attempts & was hit by 13 pitches. 

In the outfield he posted a .995 fielding % making nine assists.

2022 Post Season: Marte returned for the NL Wild Card series to the Padres, going 2-12 stealing two bases.


2023: Marte began the year with two hits & a walk in the Opening Day win over the Marlis in Florida. In his first three games he collected five hits.

Multi- Three RBI Games: On April 14th in a 17-6 Mets win in Oakland, Marte collected an RBI double as well as two bases loaded walks for a season high three RBI game. He would match that feat again on July 4th, with a three run HR off Arizona's Zach Davies.

On May 28th, Marte came to bat in the bottom of the 8th inning with the Mets down 4-3 to Cleveland. He hit a two run HR off Trevor Stephan to give the Mets the lead & eventual win. He would have two more muti-RBI games before the month was over but entered June batting just .246.

From June 2nd to June 27th, he hit safely in 17 of 21 games & drove in eight runs. In the June 14th subway series matchup at Citi Field, Marte tied up the game in the 7th inning with an RBI single off Ron Marinaccio. Brandon Nimmo won the game with a 10th inning walk off double.

From July 20th to August 4th, he was out of the line up due to migraines. He returned for just two games before going down the rest of the season with a groin injury. His absence was another reason for the Mets disappointing season.

In 2023 Marte batted .248 with 5 HRs 7 doubles a triple, 38 runs scored a .301 on base 5 & .625 OPS in 86 games played.

 Marte stole 24 bases (16th most in the NL) for his ninth season of 20 or more stolen bases. Since 2013 he is the only player to have nine 20 plus stolen base seasons.

In the outfield he led the club with seven assists.

2024: After a good Spring, a healthy Marte returned to the Mets line up & hit an Opening Day HR, the only run scored in the 3-1 loss to Milwaukee. 

From April 6th to April 23rd, Marte had nine multi-hit games in a 16-game span. He collected 24 hits & batted .348 while hitting three HRs & driving in 11 runs. Starting on April 17th he had three straight multi-RBI games, collecting HRs in two of them.

Multi-Four RBI Game: On April 20th in Los Angeles, he had a season high four RBI game, in a 6-4 win over the Dodgers. In the 4th inning he collected an RBI base hit, then hit a top of the 6th inning three run HR off Ryan Braiser.


Multi- Four RBI Game: On May 31st, in a 10-9 win over the Diamondbacks at Citi Field, Marte had two hits & matched his season best four RBIs in a game. 

In the bottom of the 1st, with the bases loaded he tripled, bringing in three runs & tying up the game. He added an RBI single in the Mets three run 4th inning as well. It was his third straight multi- two hit game & his eighth multi hit game of May.

From June 3rd to June 12th, he had five game hit streak with four multi-hit games & five RBIs. At the end of June, he would go down with a knee injury that kept him out over the next two months. He returned on August 18th & hit safely in five straight games.

On September 1st, his 9th inning RBI double gave the Mets an insurance run in their eventual 2-0 shut out of the White Sox in Chicago.

Multi- Three RBI Game: On September 14th, in a big loss at Philadelphia, Marte walked with the bases loaded in the 1st inning, then later tripled driving in two runs giving the Mets an early 4-0 lead. The triple tied him with Brandon Nimmo & Tyrone Taylor for the team lead (3).

From September 11th to September 21st, Marte drew seven walks over a seven-game span. On September 18th at Citi Field, in the Mets nine run 4th inning, Marte collected a two run double & scored on Brandon Nimmo's three run HR in the 10-0 win over the Nationals.

On September 30th, in the first game of a double header in Atlanta, Marte collected two hits & scored two runs in the Mets amazing 8-7 comeback win getting them into the play offs. After Edwin Diaz blew a three-run lead in the 8th inning, Marte singled with one out in the 9th inning. He scored on Francisco Lindor's HR, the win guaranteed the Mets of a wild card berth.

2024 Post Season-NLWC: In the Game #1 NLWC win at Milwaukee, Marte went 0-2 with a
walk & sacrifice line out scoring Jesse Winker in the 2nd inning. He collected two hits in the Game #2 loss.

In the final clinching Game #3, the Mets entered the top of the 8th down 2-0. Pete Alonso hit a three run HR to put New York ahead 3-2. 

After Jesse Winker was hit by a pitch & stole second, Marte brought him in with a single to right field. The Mets won the Game 4-2 & advanced to the NLDS.

2024 NLDS: In the NLDS win over the Phillies Marte played in all four games but went just 1-11 but drove in three runs.

In the Game #1 Mets 6-2 victory in Philadelphia, Marte drove the fifth run of the Mets five run 8th inning, with a sac fly. 

In the Game #3 win at Citi Field, he collected his only hit of the series with a two-run single off Orion Kerkering in the 6th inning, putting the Mets ahead 4-0.


2024 NLCS: In the NLCS loss to the Dodgers, Marte led the club with nine hits & batted .333
(third best) with four RBIs.

Multi- Three Hit NLCS Game: After going hitless in the first game, he collected three hits in Game #2, with a double & a pair of singles, including an RBI base hit off Enrique Henriquez in the top of the 9th inning giving the Mets a 7-3 lead.

Multi-Four Hit/ Three RBI NLCS Game: In Game #5 at Citi Field, Marte had a career high multi-four hit multi- three doubles post season game. 

In the bottom of the 3rd, with the Mets ahead 3-1, Marte hit a two run double off Jack Flaherty. He later scored on Francisco Alvarez's RBI single in the five-run inning.

In the bottom of the 8th, he added an RBI single into center field off Brent Honeywell Jr. giving New York their 12th run in the 12-6 win.

In Game #6 at Dodger Stadium, Marte was hitless in the final Mets loss.

In the 2024 post season Marte hit .277 with 13 hits (13-47) four doubles & nine RBIs. He drew three walks & was hit by three pitches. He posted a .346 on base % & .707 OPS. Marte struck out 11 times.

Career Stats: In his 13-year career he is batting .286 with 1557 hits 154 HRs 276 doubles 55 triples 838 runs scored & 633 RBIs. He posted a .342 on base % & .783 OPS. 

2024 Active Stolen Base Leader: Marte has 354 career stolen bases first among active players.

Family: Starling married Noelia Brazoban & had three children with her. In 2020 she suffered a fatal heart attack awaiting surgery for a broken ankle.

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