Inside The Mets

Are these 2 teams Starling Marte's most likely trade destinations?

These two teams could be the most likely suitors for Starling Marte if the New York Mets try to trade him again.

Grant Young

Feb 17, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets right fielder Starling Marte (6) works during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Feb 17, 2025; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets right fielder Starling Marte (6) works during a spring training workout at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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Despite the New York Mets' attempts to trade him earlier this offseason, veteran outfielder Starling Marte is still with the team as spring training kicks into gear.

A February 14 article from Pat Ragazzo of Mets on SI wrote, "Back in December during Winter Meetings, the Mets had a deal on the table that would have sent Marte to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-handed relief pitcher Hunter Harvey. This swap would've exchanged two rental players with differing salaries. The Mets offered to pay down a portion of Marte's $20.75 million salary while Harvey is making just $3.7 million in 2025."

He later added, "The Mets are still open to trading Marte, 36, if the right deal arises, but the current expectation is that he will stick with the club."

So while it seems like the Mets are content to keep Marte around, they could also part ways with him if the offer is right. And in a February 17 article, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer listed two teams that could seemingly make sense as trade destinations for Marte.

"Marte will be paid $20.8 million for 2025. It's pennies by Mets standards, but it also seems as if Marte is slated to come off their bench," Rymer wrote.

"As of December, the Mets were reportedly willing to eat money to facilitate a trade of Marte. That will have to remain the case if they still want to move him, as Marte is 36 and hasn't been an impact player since 2022.

Read more: Ex-Mets pitcher rejected free agency offer from rival NL team, per insider

"Teams that should get in on Marte include the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers, both of whom have weak offensive outlooks in the outfield," he added.

The Royals were an obvious choice here, given their earlier attempts to acquire Marte. And the Tigers would also seem to make sense.

However, now that spring training is underway, Marte remaining with the Mets seems more likely than him getting dealt before Opening Day.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Mets and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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