The New York Mets have quite a few players on their big league roster who have something to prove this season, but few will have as much pressure on them as Starling Marte. In November of 2021, the team agreed to a four-year, $78 million deal with the outfielder. Marte was set to begin his tenure with the Mets at the age of 33, so many wondered if he would be able to remain on the field for the entirety of his contract. Those concerns were put to the side for the time being within the first few months of the 2022 season.

Marte had a few injuries that gave him some discomfort that year, including left oblique tightness and groin tightness, and in September, he dealt with a non-displaced fracture of his right middle finger. But despite all of that, he was named as an All-Star for the second time in his career, slashing .292/.347/.468/.814 with 16 home runs, 63 runs batted in and 18 stolen bases in 505 plate appearances. Marte did an unbelievable job as the team’s two-hitter, giving both Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso some much-needed help at the top of the order. Fans were pleased with his play, but that excitement quickly dwindled six months later.

Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Expectations to compete for a World Series in 2023 were at an all-time high after the Mets failed to advance past the San Diego Padres in the 2022 postseason. But many of their key guys would get off to a slow start, one of which was Marte. He started 78 of a possible 90 games in the first half, so being on the field was not the biggest concern. Marte’s numbers took a significant dip in his first 82 games, slashing .256/.309/.336/.644 with just five home runs and 28 runs batted in. Over the final few months of the 2023 season, Marte would miss time with migraines and a groin strain, featuring in a total of four games after the All-Star break.

Through two years of his deal, the Mets fanbase has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly with the 35-year-old. So, what should fans expect from Marte in 2024? The days of him being able to start 130 games or more are over, given the frequency of his injuries in recent memory. To his credit, his .316 batting average, .790 on-base plus slugging, and a couple of steals in the Dominican Winter League show that he does have something left in the tank. Watching him play in the Dominican and seeing how he’s moving is certainly a good sign. The Mets need to come up with a plan that allows Marte to thrive, especially at the plate.

If Marte can play around 110-120 games while hitting near .280, the Mets lineup should improve. He had 24 stolen bases in 2023, so utilizing his speed on the base paths will be crucial as well. At this stage of his career, Marte is not the type of player that is going to hit for 20-25 home runs. He is at his best when he is spraying the ball all over the field, looking to go the other way from time to time. Marte did an unbelievable job as the two-hitter in 2022, but will Carlos Mendoza keep him near the top of the order? That will be something to watch as the new season approaches. But if one thing is for certain, it’s that Marte is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, x-factors going into spring training.