Starling Marte will not be joining the New York Mets despite trade speculation. Multiple reports confirm he is Arizona bound.
Starling Marte will not be wearing a New York Mets uniform in 2020.
The Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder, who has been linked to the Mets all offseason, is being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Initial speculation was reported by MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and later confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Jeff Passan of ESPN, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, and baseball writer Robert Murray.
Dbacks are closing in on deal for Starling Marte
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 27, 2020
Source confirms: #DBacks acquiring Starling Marte from #Pirates. Return is two prospects, names to come. On this: @JonHeyman, @JeffPassan, @ByRobertMurray.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 27, 2020
The return will be prospects Liover Peguero and Brennan Malone per Passan.
Marte is a former All-Star and two time Gold Glove award winner. He has spent each of the first eight years of his career with the Pirates and helped Pittsburgh reached the postseason three times, including being part of the Pirate team to snap a 20-year playoff drought in 2013.
The Diamondbacks have been awfully busy this winter. They also added three-time World Series champion Madison Bumgarner to a team that still has many players who won the 2017 National League Wild Card game.
As for the Mets, they’ll move on from their speculated pursuit of the Pittsburgh outfielder.
If the season began today, New York’s projected starting outfield would be J.D. Davis in left, Brandon Nimmo in center, and Micheal Conforto in right.
While Conforto is a lock to be in New York’s opening day lineup, Nimmo had a rough 2019, batting just .221 a year after being named an All-Star in 2018. Meanwhile, Davis has never been a full-time starter. New York also acquired Jake Marisnick from the Houston Astros earlier in the offseason.
There’s no doubt, the Mets can benefit from adding another outfielder, but with limited options remaining on both the free agent and trade markets, New York will likely go with their in-house options.
While Marte will not be coming to Queens, the Mets did find ways to improve this offseason by signing starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Rick Porcello in addition to inking relief arm Dellin Betances to a deal.
The Mets will begin to report to spring training on Feb. 11.
