Since Starling Marte went down with migraines and a groin injury in 2023, his 2024 status has been murky. After hitting .292/.347/.468/.814 in his first year as a Met in 2022, his numbers dipped the following year. It’s unsure if the lack of production was due to nagging injuries, but it’s been a cause for concern.

The Mets signed Marte in the 2021 offseason to a four-year, $78 million contract, hoping he would be the consistent corner outfielder they were searching for. Instead, they received a productive year followed by a season where he only appeared in 86 games. Those 86 games felt like 46, and Marte felt like an afterthought.

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However, after avoiding another groin surgery this past offseason, Marte made his Dominican Winter League debut on January 3. At the plate, the 35-year-old outfielder looks like his 2022 self, hitting .400 with a 1.000 OPS through three games.

Of all the payers on the Mets roster, Marte will feel the heat the most to perform well. If he does so and remains healthy, one might wonder how big of a role he plays. In October, Metsmerized analyzed the type of role Marte might have in 2024, but what does his role look like if he’s fully healthy?

On Base

Once upon a time, Marte was in the top two percent in sprint speed and one of the biggest threats on the bases. While his speed has decreased with age, he’s still a menace. Even though he played 86 games, he stole 24 bags while dealing with a groin injury, the 17th most in the National League in 2023.

Fully healthy and taking advantage of baseball’s new rules, Marte can easily double his stolen base total in 2024. For a Mets team that finds themselves either middle or bottom of the pack in stolen bases and speed, a fully healthy Marte can push them into playoff contenders.

In the Field

David Stearns pressed the Mets would focus on building a team around a key factor former Mets’ teams struggled in defense. Stearns stayed true to this promise, bringing in Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor to round up the outfield. With Brandon Nimmo and DJ Stewart as the other holdovers, Marte might feel like the odd man out.

Bader might be one of the best defensive outfielders in the game right now. According to Statcast, he ranks in the 95th percentile in fielding range, 91st percentile in arm strength and 93rd percentile in fielding run value. The new outfielder seems likely to slot in at center, pushing Nimmo into left, and leaving right up for grabs.

Marte feels like the winner compared to Taylor and Stewart, especially if healthy. While Taylor might be the better defender, Marte has a stronger arm. Taylor ranked in the 85th percentile in arm strength, while Marte ranked in the 90th percentile.

At Bat

One of the Mets’ biggest struggles entering 2024 is hitting. The team doesn’t have a clear answer for the DH role, with Mark Vientos the only player without a set position. Stewart and Taylor can slot into this role as well, or the Mets can (and should) look to outsource and add one of Justin Turner or J.D. Martinez. 

The other option, of course, is to utilize Marte in the DH role as well. As mentioned, the Mets have built a defensive juggernaut in the outfield. A career .287/.343/.445 hitter, Marte’s biggest attribute is his ability to get on base through the hit. While not a conventional DH, conserving his legs and putting him to work at-bat might be the Mets’ greatest weapon and best use.

Final Thoughts

No matter how the Mets decide to utilize Marte in 2024, remaining healthy should be his number one goal. If he can do that, he can return to form and contribute to a club that greatly missed him in 2023.