Take a look at the 2025 New York Mets' lineup, and see if something sticks out to you about who is projected to start the year on the bench.
Obviously, the headline of this article gives it away, but it's still a bit jarring to see Starling Marte, he of the four-year, $78 million contract, stashed on the bench. He was never going to start of nine-figure left fielder Brandon Nimmo, nor much-higher-nine-figure right fielder Juan Soto, but it's still odd to see the revered veteran not have a place on the team.
Recently, rumors have leaked that the Mets held trade discussions for the 36-year-old with the Kansas City Royals. Combined with his declining performance — .269/.327/.388 batting line (104 wRC+) in 2024 — and $19.5 million salary this year, it's no wonder the Mets are eager to move the now-backup outfielder, even it means eating a large portion of the remainder of his deal.
Is there willingness to move Marte a sign that the team is eager to continue pursuing upgrades in 2025? Or just a one-off rumor involving an overpriced veteran?
Starling Marte trade or not, Mets need to upgrade pitching staff
With Soto aboard, the Mets have the makings of a title-caliber offense. What they need, and have needed all offseason, is more pitching, especially an ace atop the rotation.
Unfortunately for the inhabitants of Citi Field, that dream died earlier this year. Roki Sasaki, 23-year-old Japanese phenom, chose to eliminate them (among many other teams) while picking the superteam out west as his first MLB home.
The New York Mets are not finalists for Roki Sasaki, sources confirm.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) January 13, 2025
The Mets' rotation could've used Sasaki's transformative qualities. Instead, they'll now rely on Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea, and free agent additions Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes (who they'll try to convert into a starter from a reliever) to form the skeleton of a pitching staff that they hope is good enough to support a championship-caliber offense.
Of course, Manaea and Montas are both already out for the beginning of the 2025 season with injuries. That'll test the Mets' limited depth early in the season, with Griffin Canning and Paul Blackburn expected to fill in at the back of the rotation.
It would be hard for the team to add anyone that truly transforms the staff at this point — David Peterson, who authored a 2.90 ERA in 121.0 innings last year, is probably better than anyone else realistically available — but the Marte trade discussions are noteworthy. Even if the team targets a reliever in order to keep Tyler Megill stretched out, another pitcher could do wonders for a thin Mets staff.
Or, of course, they could just hope Soto helps them slug their way to an NL East title.