| Starling Marte | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Marte with the Mets in 2024 | |
| Free agent | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1988-10-09)October 9, 1988 (age 37) Santo Domingo,Dominican Republic | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 26, 2012, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .285 |
| Hits | 1,639 |
| Home runs | 163 |
| Runs batted in | 667 |
| Stolen bases | 361 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Starling Javier Marte (born October 9, 1988) is a Dominican professionalbaseballoutfielder who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for thePittsburgh Pirates,Arizona Diamondbacks,Miami Marlins,Oakland Athletics, andNew York Mets. He made his MLB debut in 2012 with the Pirates. Marte is a two-timeMLB All-Star and a two-timeGold Glove Award winner. In 2021, he led the major leagues with 47stolen bases. He is the active leader in stolen bases and triples with 361 and 55, respectively.
Marte grew up on the outskirts ofSanto Domingo, the capital of theDominican Republic.[1] After his mother's death when he was nine, his grandmother raised him.[2]
Marte signed with thePittsburgh Pirates in 2007 and was primarily acenter fielder during his time in the minors.[1] In 2010, he played 60 games for the Pirates' Class-A affiliate, theBradenton Marauders, ending with abatting average of .315. He hit 16doubles and fivetriples that season while also stealing 22 bases.[3] Marte represented the Pirates at the 2011All-Star Futures Game.[4] In 2011, while playing for theAltoona Curve, Marte was anEastern League Mid-Season All-Star[5] and Post-Season All-Star, aBaseball America Double-A All-Star,[6] aTopps Double-A All-Star,[7] and aMilb.com organization All-Star.[8] On August 15, 2011, Marte was named the EL's Player of the Week.[9] Marte also won the Eastern League batting title with a .332 batting average[10] and was named theEastern League Rookie of the Year.[11] Marte was added to the Pirates 40-man roster on November 18, 2011.[12]
Marte was ranked number 73 onBaseball America's Top 100 Prospects list in February 2012[13] and number 56 onBaseball Prospectus's Top 101 Prospect list in February 2012.[14] In 2012, while playing for theIndianapolis Indians, Marte was named anInternational League Mid-Season All-Star.[15] On July 2, 2012, Marte was named the International League Player of the Week.[16]
On July 26, 2012, the Pirates promoted Marte from Indianapolis Indians,[17] becoming the first graduate of the Pirates' Latin American complex, located in theDominican Republic, to reach the major leagues.[1] He hit ahome run on the first pitch he faced in his major league career, offHouston Astros pitcherDallas Keuchel.[18] The hit made Marte the third player in Pirates' franchise history to homer in his first at-bat and the first to do it sinceDon Leppert in 1961. He also became the first Pirate to homer on the first pitch of his major league career sinceWalter Mueller did so in 1922.[19] In his rookie season, Marte played in 47 games, batting .257/.300/.457 with 5 home runs, 17 RBI, and 12 stolen bases.
On June 25, 2013, Marte hit two home runs in a 9–4 victory over theSeattle Mariners, marking the first multi-home run game of his career.[20] Marte made his postseason debut on October 1, going 2–5 with a double and a run scored during theNational League Wild Card Game against theCincinnati Reds.[21] He hit the first postseason home run of his career on October 4, during Game 2 of theNational League Division Series, off ofShelby Miller of theSt. Louis Cardinals.[22] Across 135 games for the Pirates in 2013, Marte batted .280/.343/.441 with 12 home runs, 35 RBI, and 41 stolen bases.
Marte and the Pirates finalized a 6-year, $31 million deal on March 28, 2014.[23][24] On August 18, he had his second career multi-homer game in a 7–3 loss to theAtlanta Braves. Across 135 games for the Pirates in 2014, Marte batted .291/.356/.453 with 13 home runs, 56 RBI, and 30 stolen bases.
In 2015, Marte played in 153 games, batting .287/.337/.444 with 19 home runs, 81 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. After the season, he won his first careerGold Glove Award as the best defensive left fielder in theNational League.[25]
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After hitting to the ninth best batting average in the National League (.316) and stealing the second most bases (27) during the first half of the season, Marte was selected to replace an injuredYoenis Cespedes in the firstAll-Star Game appearance of his career.[26]
Marte played in 129 games in 2016, batting .311/.362/456 with 9 home runs, 46 RBI, and 47 stolen bases. After the season, he won his second careerGold Glove Award.[27]
On April 18, 2017, Marte was suspended 80 games without pay due to the use ofNandrolone, a type ofperformance-enhancing drug that violates the MLB's drug agreement. He was also deemed ineligible to play in the postseason, though the Pirates failed to qualify.[28] Marte issued a statement afterwards,[29] reading: "I have been informed that I have tested positive in one of the tests that are regularly done in my job. In this very difficult moment, I apologize to my family, my fans, and baseball in general. Neglect and lack of knowledge have led me to this mistake with the high price to pay of being away from the field that I enjoy and love so much. With much embarrassment and helplessness, I ask for forgiveness for unintentionally disrespecting so many people who have trusted in my work and have supported me so much. I promise to learn the lesson that this ordeal has left me. God bless you."
Across 77 games in 2017, Marte batted .275/.333/379 with 7 home runs, 31 RBI, 21 stolen bases.[30]
In 2018, Marte played in 145 games, batting .277/.327/.460 with 20 home runs, 72 RBI, and 33 stolen bases.[30] He andJean Segura were the only two MLB players to have stolen 20 or more bases each season since 2013.[31]
On July 13, 2019, in a game against theChicago Cubs, Marte hit the 99th and 100th home runs of his career, two solo shots off ofJon Lester in the 6th inning andRandy Rosario in the 8th.[32][33] He became the second player in Pirates franchise history to hit 100 home runs and steal 200 bases, second only toBarry Bonds, who recorded 176 homers and 251 steals with the team.[34] Across 132 games for the Pirates in 2019, Marte batted .295/.342/.503 and set career-highs with 23 home runs and 82 RBI.[30] However, on defense, he had a -11Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) rating, the lowest in the major leagues among center fielders.[35]
On January 27, 2020, the Pirates traded Marte and cash considerations to theArizona Diamondbacks in exchange forLiover Peguero,Brennan Malone, and international bonus pool signing money.[36]
On August 31, 2020, the Diamondbacks traded Marte to theMiami Marlins forCaleb Smith,Humberto Mejía and Julio Frias.[37] Across 61 games between Arizona and Miami, Marte slashed .281/.340/.430 with 6 home runs, 27 RBI, and 10 stolen bases during the shortened 60-game season.[38] During Game 1 of the2020 National League Wild Card Series, Marte had two hits and scored a run before having his left hand broken by a fastball in the ninth inning.[39] The Marlins would defeat theChicago Cubs 5–1 atWrigley Field, giving Miami its first playoff victory since the 2003 postseason.[40]
Marte was placed on theinjured list on April 20, 2021, with a fractured rib. A month later, he would enter his rehab assignment with theJacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and return to the Marlins on May 28. Marte was namedNL Player of the Week for June 7–13, the first Marlins player since 2017. In 7 games that week, he batted .500 (14-for-28), two home runs, one double, 5 RBIs, and a 1.298 OPS. He also stole four bases without being caught.[41]
On July 18, Marte rejected a $30 million extension offer from the Marlins.[42]
On July 28, 2021, the Marlins traded Marte along with cash considerations to theOakland Athletics in exchange forJesús Luzardo.[43] Across 120 games between Miami and Oakland, Marte batted .310/.383/.458 with 12 home runs, 55 RBI, and stole an MLB-leading 47 bases in 2021.
On November 30, 2021, Marte signed a four-year, $78 million contract with theNew York Mets.[44]
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After hitting to a .291 average with an .881 OPS during the first half of the 2022 season, Marte was selected to play in theAll-Star Game for the second time in his career.[45] Despite suffering from a groin injury throughout the year, Marte played in 118 games, batting .292/.347/.468 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI, and 18 stolen bases.[30]
After double groin surgery in November, Marte's injuries persisted into 2023. He missed games in April with a neck strain, was placed on the injured list in July and August due to migraines, and finished the season early after suffering another groin injury.[46] Across 86 games in 2023, Marte batted .248/.301/.324 with 5 home runs, 28 RBI, and 24 stolen bases.[30]
Marte returned to the team and hit the first home run of the Mets'2024 season onOpening Day, March 29, against theMilwaukee Brewers in a 3–1 loss.[47] On April 6, Marte recorded the 1,500th hit of his career, a first inning single, off ofMiles Mikolas of theSt. Louis Cardinals.[48] On April 17, he hit the 150th home run of his career, a two-run shot off ofBailey Falter of thePittsburgh Pirates.[33] Marte missed two months of the season due to a bone bruise in his right knee, and he did not return to the team until August 18.[49] Across 94 games in 2024, Marte batted .269/.327/.388 with 7 home runs, 40 RBI, and 16 stolen bases.[30]
On October 3, in Game 3 the2024 National League Wild Card Series, Marte hit a two-out RBI single in the 9th inning off ofDevin Williams to insure a 4–2 victory and clinch the series win over theMilwaukee Brewers.[50] In Game 5 of theNational League Championship Series on October 18, Marte had the best postseason game of his career, as he hit three doubles to cash in 3 RBI on four hits, defeating theLos Angeles Dodgers 12–6.[51] Across 13 games of the2024 MLB postseason, Marte batted .277/.345/.362 with no home runs, 9 RBI, and one stolen base.[52]
In February, the Mets announced that Marte would be moved from the outfield to serve as a part-timedesignated hitter to avoid future injuries.[53] On April 23, Marte hit a walk-off single in the 10th inning against thePhiladelphia Phillies. In doing so, he clinched the Mets second ever perfect seven-game home stand in franchise history.[54] On July 8, Marte was placed on the injured list with a right knee bruise, and he returned to the Mets lineup on July 22.[55]
Marte has three children, sons Starling Jr. and Smerling and daughter Tiana, with his late wife, Noelia Brazoban. In May 2020, Brazoban suffered aheart attack and died while in the hospital awaiting surgery on a broken ankle.[56]
Marte's mother died when he was nine years old. Starling was then raised by his grandmother, who died in May 2022. Upon his return to the Mets after being placed on the bereavement list, Marte hit a home run on the first pitch he faced fromColorado Rockies starterGermán Márquez, dedicating his hit to his "loved ones up in heaven."[57]
In August 2023, Marte got engaged to Elianny Santana. They married in theDominican Republic in December of that year.[58]
