With his Mets tenure likely at an end, veteran outfielder Starling Marte took to social media to thank the club’s fans following the team’s premature ending to a season that had been filled with so much promise.
“This season did not end the way we hoped,” Marte wrote in an Instagram post. “Every game we left on the field, every opportunity that slipped away, we felt it just as you did. But also we felt something immense: the unconditional support of every Mets fan.
“You were the reason we gave everything in every game, the motivation that pushed us to keep going even in the toughest moments.”
Marte has spent the last four seasons in New York — his $78 million deal expires following the completion of the postseason, making him an unrestricted free agent.
While dealing with injuries for most of his time with the Mets, his role with the club diminished this season after the mega-signing of Juan Soto, who took his spot in right field. Appearing in 98 games, mostly as a designated hitter, the 36-year-old batted .270 with a .745 OPS, nine home runs, and 34 RBI.
Even in that limited role, this was the most Marte played since his first year with the team in 2022, when he garnered an All-Star appearance behind a .292 average and an .814 OPS.
He played through a groin injury that ultimately needed surgery, but it continued to plague him in the ensuing years. He also dealt with migraines stemming from a concussion and knee issues.
Marte’s impending departure will be one of numerous notable moves expected to come from president of baseball operations, David Stearns. The Mets went from the best team in baseball in early June to missing the postseason entirely in one of the biggest collapses in MLB history.
