Carlos Mendoza, in his Wednesday pre-game press conference, said that Starling Marte would begin live batting practice in March. He also stated that it would be happening on the back fields. Mendoza said that Marte has been dealing with right knee soreness since “at least last summer.” Regarding his ability to get himself into game shape via running, Mendoza said, “He has some good days, some not so good.” Mendoza still thinks he can physically be a major-league player.
While still on the team, Marte was expected to be in the mix for the fourth-outfielder/DH mix with the signing of Juan Soto. Marte hit .310/.384/.460 against lefties in 2024 with two home runs, five doubles and two triples in 100 at-bats.
Marte, 36, is in the last year of a 4-year, $78 million contract he signed in 2021. After recovering from double-hernia surgery in 2023, Marte had a down-year that saw him slash .269/.327/.388 across 94 games, with seven home runs and 16 stolen bases. His range and fielding numbers took a significant downturn in the outfield despite his still strong arm.
In other news, Brandon Nimmo is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut soon. He is recovering from his plantar fasciitis injury, which he played through for the majority of the 2024 season and re-aggravated in the NLDS against the Phillies.
Dedniel Núñez will also not appear in games “anytime soon” though the Mets expect him to be ready by Opening Day. Nunez himself suffered a flexor-tendon injury that ended his promising 2024 debut season. The Mets seem to be taking it much slower with him than other pitchers due to his expected high-leverage role in the bullpen.
