Following a tumultuous week, the New York Mets — and their fan base, especially — could use some good, cycle-changing news. On Saturday, Robert Murray of The Athletic reported the Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates “reopened” trade discussions for All-Star outfielder Starling Marte.
We spoke earlier this offseason about how Marte’s game would potentially fit in Queens, and it’s a promising theory. If new Pirates general manager Ben Cherington is indeed still looking to move the 31-year-old and his $11.5 million 2020 salary, assuming the return cost isn’t exorbitant, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen should be all-in on acquiring Marte.
Attaching two mid-level prospects — I’m just throwing out 24-year-old right-hander Tony Dibrell and 22-year-old backstop Ali Sanchez as potential pieces — to highly-touted shortstop Andres Gimenez, 21, who by the end of the 2020 season could be effectively blocked by two players (Amed Rosario in the majors and 18-year-old Ronny Mauricio in the minors), should provide more than sufficient value back to Pittsburgh.
Even building a deal around Jed Lowrie, set to earn $10 million in 2020, supported by prospects — evening out the money aspect, which is always music to this organization’s ears — could be tenable. Though, under no circumstances whatsoever should the Mets attach previously reported targets Brandon Nimmo or J.D. Davis in a deal for Marte.
Sticking Marte — who registered two outs above average (72nd percentile), one-foot above-average outfielder jump (90th percentile), and a sprint speed of 29 feet per second (also 92nd percentile) last season, per Statcast — in center field, allowing Nimmo and Michael Conforto to man the corners and Davis, Jake Marisnick, and Yoenis Cespedes to fill out the Mets’ bench would put this positional roster over the top.
If the Mets can hang on to Dominic Smith‘s left-handed bat in this equation, New York’s reserve corps would nearly be ready for prime-time. Add another relief arm and free-agent catcher and defensive specialist Russell Martin to the mix and these Metsies will be cooking with gas.
Marte’s offensive potency in the lineup every day would be a coup, as well. His .295/.342/.503 slash line, 23 homers, 82 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, 16% strikeout rate, and 119 wRC+ last season were solid, and his expected stats at the plate (.304 xBA, 96th percentile; .361 xWOBA, 80th percentile; .511 xSLG, 82nd percentile, via Statcast) were just as impressive.
If the Mets are truly focused on moving forward and putting the events of last week behind them, trading for Marte — strengthening this roster to acceptable levels and changing the narrative in Flushing simultaneously — is the way to go. Plus, winning fixes all that ails any organization. Marte would go a long way in supporting that bottom line, too.
