Starling Marte's play, health is key to Mets in 2024. How likely is it he bounces back?

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Starling Marte was not originally expected to play in the Dominican Winter League this offseason, but the Mets outfielder felt he had something to prove — both to himself, the team and those outside the organization.

After being limited to 86 games and missing the majority of the final two months of the season due to double groin surgery and migraines, Marte returned to his home country and showcased a return to his regular quickness on the bases and in the outfield.

Now, one of the biggest questions facing the Mets is whether the 35-year-old can sustain it.

"I want to play. I showed everybody I don’t have to worry about my legs," Marte said from Mets spring training on Sunday. "They want to make sure that everything I say is right and then they go to the Dominican (Republic) and see this is good."

Marte was limited upon his return to spring training last season following core muscle surgery in November 2023. He missed stretches of 15 and 52 games as a result of the nagging groin injury and migraines and his performance suffered.

Through the discomfort, Marte managed to slash .248/.301/.324 with five home runs, 28 RBI and 38 runs - the lowest marks of his career over a full season since his rookie season in 2012 with the Pirates.

"I think it really affected me mentally to begin with just because it’s something that I had never gone through in my career having that type of operation, feeling a little bit more limited," Marte said. "They sent me to all these different programs, all these different training places and now the reason I do feel so much better is because they did send me to those places. Now is when I feel 100 percent."

Starling Marte at his best

The Mets understand that when Marte is healthy, he is a boon to the offense. He can reach base, as he did 38.3 percent of the time in 2021 and wreak havoc on the base pads — he led the league with 47 stolen bases that season — while providing a little bit of pop.

When he arrived on a four-year, $78 million contract in 2022, Marte proved to be one of the team's most valuable additions.

He earned his second All-Star selection, posted an .814 OPS with 16 home runs, 63 RBI, 76 runs and a team-leading 18 stolen bases and could regularly be penciled into the No. 2 spot in the lineup behind Brandon Nimmo and ahead of Francisco Lindor.

"If he does that, we’re going to be in pretty good shape right? He's a huge part of this team," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. " I watched him not only in 2022 but going back to the days with the A’s and the Pirates. This guy’s special. This guy can impact the game and help you win in a lot of different ways, whether it's on defense, base-running, offensively, he brings a lot to the table."

His impact was felt after he was hit by a pitch on Sept. 6, 2022, suffered a broken middle finger and missed the remainder of the 2022 season. The Mets were 16-10 during that final stretch but stumbled out of first place in the National League East.

And those physical hurdles continued into 2023. But now, after more than four months to recuperate and a test in the Dominican Republic, Mendoza said that Marte is a "full-go" with no restrictions entering spring training.

Mendoza said he's "pretty confident" in the outfielder's health after watching him in action in the Caribbean where he played in 11 games and stole two bases for Leones del Escogido. He's hopeful that Marte has put the injury behind him and can return to his 2022 performance.

Tyrone Taylor and DJ Stewart provide a safety net

Marte's play in the winter does not erase the lingering questions. President of baseball operations David Stearns added outfielder Tyrone Taylor in a trade with the Brewers and re-signed DJ Stewart in the offseason to provide a safety valve in the corner outfield.

However, neither provides the ceiling of Marte at his best. Taylor is a plus defensive outfielder with a quality arm and speed but has never posted a batting average above .247. Stewart supplies pop, evidenced by his stretch of 10 home runs in 17 games in the second half of last season, but posted a mark of -2 outs above average last season.

Despite Marte's desire to play right field every day, Mendoza understands there might be times where he will need to protect the veteran outfielder's health. That could mean time at designated hitter or one of those other options stepping in.

"These are the conversations that we will have depending on where we are on the schedule, how many games in a row and all of that," Mendoza said. "It’s important to have those conversations with a player and the others that are going to be involved. In the meantime, I consider him a right fielder and keeping him healthy is the biggest goal."

The early returns from Marte ahead of 2024 are strong ones, but his health continues to be one of the biggest obstacles hanging over the Mets this season.

"I’m working hard now," Marte said. "I’m focusing on spring training now, play hard. Everybody knows how hard I play when I was on the bases and I’m ready for you guys to see it now."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Starling Marte ready to show health, resolve after 2023