Inside The Mets

Mets' Starling Marte still drawing interest from AL Central team, per insider

Starling Marte is still drawing interest from the Kansas City Royals, despite a trade for the outfielder falling through during the offseason.
Logan VanDine|
New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte during the first day of a full-squad workout during Spring Training at Clover Park on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Port St. Lucie.
New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte during the first day of a full-squad workout during Spring Training at Clover Park on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, in Port St. Lucie. | CRYSTAL VANDER WEIT/TCPALM / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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New York MetsKansas City Royals

Could New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte still be on the move?

Earlier in the offseason, a trade that would send Marte to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for reliever Hunter Harvey fell through during the Winter Meetings. But Kansas City is reportedly not shutting the door on a potential trade for the All-Star outfielder.

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Royals still have some level of interest in acquiring Marte.

"The Royals made a push to try to acquire Starling Marte in winter, but could not find agreement with the Mets, who were interested in a reliever such as Hunter Harvey or Angel Zerpa while Kansas City wanted to give up a lesser arm," Sherman wrote in an article on March 3.

"The Royals have wanted to obtain a veteran bat who can hit fifth in their lineup, and they were willing to expand payroll with a three-year offer to Anthony Santander, who instead signed with Toronto... So with this still unsolved, Kansas City has not completely closed the door on Marte, who is closing in on playing in spring (knee) and has had his Mets role reduced to basically righty part of a DH platoon."

Marte, 36, who has yet to appear in any live games for New York this spring, is in the final season of the four-year, $78 million deal he signed in November 2021. Even before the addition of star outfielder Juan Soto, the veteran has consistently been a potential trade candidate this offseason.

Read More: Source: Where things stand between the Mets and Starling Marte

After being named to the All-Star Game in his first year with the Mets, injuries have plagued the outfielder ever since. Marte was limited to just 86 games during the 2023 season due to a groin strain and the 2024 campaign also saw him appear in just 94 games after suffering a knee injury in June, which kept him out for nearly two months.

While Marte is currently set to share designated hitter duties with Jesse Winker if he's on New York's Opening Day roster, the Royals reportedly showing interest again in the outfielder should not come as a surprise. With Kansas City making it clear that they want to add a veteran bat to their young but talented lineup and the Mets looking to add another bullpen arm, trade talks between the two ball clubs could potentially resume.

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Logan VanDine
LOGAN VANDINE

Logan VanDine is a contributing writer for On SI's Mets. Logan is a graduate of Rider University where he majored in Sports Media and minored in Sports Studies. During his time at Rider, Logan worked for Rider's radio station, 107.7 The Bronc as a sports host, producer and broadcaster, and for the school's paper: The Rider News. He began his time with The Rider News as a section writer for sports and was a copy editor for two years followed by being one of the sports editors during his senior year. Logan also placed third in the New Jersey Press Foundation Awards for sports feature writing. Aside from his work at On SI, he is also a writer for FanSided covering the New York Giants and Mets and also covers the Giants for Total Apex Sports. Give him a follow on X: @VandineLogan

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