Feb 17, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets right fielder Starling Marte (6) works during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Mets standout laments current role with team

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Apr 21, 2025 8:00 AM ET

New York Mets veteran Starling Marte has only received 38 at-bats to this point in the 2025 season, as he is currently sharing platoon DH duties with Jesse Winker and typically only earning the start against left-handed pitchers.

This is a stark contrast to the amount of playing time Marte (who was an All-Star as recently as 2022) has received for most of his career to this point. Not receiving consistent at-bats can be extremely difficult for hitters to adjust to. And Marte is clearly having a hard time adjusting, which is shown by his .184 average and .589 OPS to this point.

Starling Marte on Instagram:

“Great series, let’s go Mets.” pic.twitter.com/klBMWq44jE
— Mets Batflip (@metsbatflip1) April 20, 2025

Marte is struggling with coming to terms with his new reality, which was conveyed by his comments in an April 20 article from Mike Puma of the New York Post.

“It’s something I continue to work on every day,” Marte said of his reduced workload. “No player loves being in this type of role, but at the same time, this is the way it has been presented to me, and I think, in order to have success at the plate, you have to go out there. You have to go and try to take advantage of whatever opportunity you can get.”

He later added, “I think everything is based on routine and the hard work that you put in. The success I had back earlier in my career was because I was playing every day. I think if I have more results and I am able to get into that lineup more, I will be able to get back to the player I once was.”

Starling Marte struggling in transition to part-time Mets role: ‘It’s not easy’ https://t.co/wr0gitODEr pic.twitter.com/0DZK2SWah2
— New York Post (@nypost) April 20, 2025