The New York Mets capped off a busy Friday as they locked up the best free-agent outfielder of the lot, signing Starling Marte to a four-year, $78 million deal. This came just hours after adding Eduardo Escobar and Mark Canha to the fold, two proven players who also give them infield depth and offensive production.
But, Marte is arguably the biggest acquisition the Mets will make all winter, and given the way he's played across the last few seasons, New York could've seriously hit the jackpot. The 33-year-old is one of the best players in the big leagues on both sides of the ball and is coming off a huge year.
Marte split time in 2021 with the Miami Marlins and Oakland Athletics after he was traded to the Bay Area at the deadline. In the process, he hit .310 overall with 12 home runs and 55 RBI's. While those numbers don't necessarily jump off the page, it's his overall production that should excite Mets fans. The Dominican also slugged 27 doubles and finished seven in the MLB with a .383 on-base percentage. Aside from showing the ability to hit for power and average (he's reached the 20+ homer mark on two occasions), Marte is extremely fast, leading the Majors with 47 stolen bases. Yes, he is truly a five-tool player.
But what really makes him so special is his tremendous eye at the plate. Marte struck out just 18.8% of the time in '21 and registered 43 walks in 120 games. He makes contact at an extremely high rate and always gives himself a chance to use his speed. Needless to say, the Mets need another impact bat. They struggled to hit last season, finishing towards the bottom of the league in most offensive categories. Statistically, Marte just enjoyed his best campaign since 2018 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Not only do the Mets get their everyday center fielder, but New York receives a player who can truly do it all and shows no signs of him slowing down. Sure, you can say the pressure of the Big Apple could potentially be a roadblock, but Marte is an experienced big leaguer. He's not 25.
Marte brings a whole different dimension to the Mets lineup and fans should be absolutely ecstatic over this addition. But, it's just the start. They must do everything possible to bring Javier Baez and Marcus Stroman back. If NY can't retain the latter, the likes of Max Scherzer, Robbie Ray, and Kevin Gausman are on the market. Any of these top-tier arms would be a perfect pairing with Jacob deGrom.
The Mets have a lot of work to do this offseason but their early activity is a very good sign. Better days are ahead at Citi Field.
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