Wednesday catch-all thread (6/4/25)
Please use this thread all week to discuss any Mets-specific topic you wish.
It’s fair to say that Starling Marte is not my favorite player. Yet it’s necessary to point out that he’s been fairly productive in his last 12 games, posting a .320/.433/.480 line in 31 PA. Throughout his career, Marte has run above-average BABIPs, so in that context a .350 mark doesn’t stand out as much as it might for others. Subjectively, it seems to me that his swings are much-improved in this stretch. Famous for putting up some downright ugly swings these past two-plus seasons, Marte seems more in tune these days.
Still, it seems fair to wonder what his future holds. Right now there are three hitters out injured and it’s not certain he can survive the return of one of them, much less all three. Okay, maybe Jared Young gets sent packing first but after that? If the first move is Jose Siri for Young, that makes the rare times that Marte can play the outfield not very much of an advantage for him sticking around. And it just feels like the Mets value Jesse Winker more than Marte.
Perhaps if Marte can continue hitting like he has in his last 31 PA, he can extend his shelf life. It seems like he has handled his demotion to part-time play as well as anyone could have hoped and there’s some value to a harmonious clubhouse. Yet there are no sacred cows and any reserve who hopes to stick around needs to bring more to the table than not being a pain in the bottom.
Do we have to have Siri back? If so, Acuna goes down for Siri (assuming Mauricio sticks around), Young goes down for Winker, and then it becomes a question of how long Vientos will be out. I think they'll want to keep the guy making $20million around as long as possible. A few inches to the left last night and his stat line is looking even better.
Marte is having a good stretch. He should be the primary RHB DH because of the Vientos injury. The Mets need to see if Mauricio is good so Mauricio and Baty should be the primary 3B and DH against RHP. Marte has to kept hitting to preserve his already limited at bats to fend off Mauricio and Vientos in the future.