Starling Marte Stepping Up Atop Mets’ Lineup

At 36-years-old, Starling Marte is proving that age is just a number.

On Thursday, he delivered a standout performance in the Mets’ 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished 3-for-4, including a solo home run and a double. Marte’s homer came in the third inning, part of a back-to-back sequence with Brandon Nimmo that extended the Mets’ lead to 4-0. In the eighth inning, Marte doubled and scored on Pete Alonso’s RBI single, putting the Mets up 5-3.

Still, Reed Garrett couldn’t hold New York’s lead, and a costly Brett Baty error sealed the team’s fate. The Mets were forced to settle for a four-game split in L.A.

Even with the collapse, Marte’s offensive contributions stood out and made for a rare bright spot.

After a sluggish April spent platooning with Jesse Winker, Marte has flipped a switch and roared back to life, shaking off early rust and reminding everyone that he has plenty left in the tank.

When Winker hit the injured list with an oblique injury, Marte was thrust into a different role. This didn’t necessarily mean more playing time, though. More importantly, it was a time when the Mets needed stability out of him with questions surrounding young hitters like Baty and Mark Vientos.

But incredibly, he’s found life again. After slashing .156/.250/.267 in April, Marte bounced back with a .300/.404/.400 line in May. And in the six games Carlos Mendoza slotted him in the two-hole, he rewarded his skipper by hitting .350 with a 1.030 OPS.

What’s perhaps most impressive is how Marte has adjusted his game. He’s no longer chasing stolen bases or trying to leg out triples like he did in his prime. Instead, he’s focused on grinding out at-bats, taking advantage of pitches in the zone, and bringing a steady veteran presence to a Mets lineup that has sometimes leaned too heavily on its young kids. He’s embraced the less glamorous role, and it’s working for him. His strikeout rate is down to 16.8%, which would land him around the 77th percentile if he had enough plate appearances to qualify.

There’s also something poetic about Marte’s resurgence coming in what could be his final season in Queens. The Mets have no shortage of hit-first guys, and younger players are waiting in the wings to take roster spots in 2026 and beyond. With his contract winding down, his future here is uncertain. But this stretch, this rejuvenation, it’s a reminder of what he once was and what he still can be in the right role.

Whether or not this lasts into the summer is anyone’s guess. It’s possible the magic wears off. He is 36 after all, and physical deterioration with age is a real concern. But for now, Marte is giving the Mets everything he has, and frankly, it’s more than we’ve expected. His attitude, leadership, and fight are part of what makes the clubhouse mesh together. Maybe this isn’t just a normal hot streak, but rather it’s one last run.

And if this is the end of the Marte era in New York, at least he’s not going quietly.

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