GIVE THIS DAD CATCH OF THE YEAR! ? pic.twitter.com/Nratabnmk1
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 31, 2022
The Mets are off to an impressive start. But this Citi Field attendee may have the top play of the year thus far.
In the first inning of Tuesday night’s matchup with the Nationals at Citi Field, Mets outfielder Starling Marte hit a two-run shot to centerfield to open the scoring for New York.
The ball proceeded to bounce off the centerfield platform near the Home Run Apple, make its way toward the right-centerfield stands, and land in the right hand of a fan who was carrying a kid in the opposite arm. An incredible display of multi-tasking from a clearcut Father of the Year candidate.
The pure concentration to look the Marte home run ball into his hand while ensuring the safety of the baby is mesmerizing.
As for the man responsible for the home run, Marte continues to be extraordinary amid this current Mets win streak. He’s now 9-for-19 over his last five games (including his 1-for-2 start on Tuesday night) with seven RBI. Marte knocked in four runs during Monday night’s 13-5 thrashing of the Nats and has a home run in each of the last two games.
While big names like Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor have played significant roles in retaining the Mets’ National League East lead despite various injuries to the pitching staff, Marte has become an unsung hero during this successful stretch of games. Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Tylor Megill are all dealing with health-related setbacks and Buck Showalter has needed to utilize guys like David Peterson, Trevor Williams, and Thomas Szapucki in the rotation.
The Mets need all the lineup production they can get while the big arms are out. Marte is surely playing the role the Mets signed him to fulfill when they gave him a four-year deal in the offseason.
