The New York Mets had Starling Marte for the playoffs, but he clearly wasn’t 100 percent.
He fractured a finger in September and barely made it for the postseason, as the Mets lost to the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card round.
However, the dynamic outfielder had another troublesome injury that may have affected him.
“News: Outfielder Starling Marte underwent surgery this week to repair a core muscle injury he sustained in the second half of this season. A typical recovery timeline is eight weeks, the Mets say. He should be fine by the start of spring training,” Mets insider Anthony DiComo tweeted.
News: Outfielder Starling Marte underwent surgery this week to repair a core muscle injury he sustained in the second half of this season. A typical recovery timeline is eight weeks, the Mets say. He should be fine by the start of spring training.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) November 3, 2022
With a .167/.231/.167 line in 13 postseason plate appearances, there is a very good chance Marte’s performance was being affected by both injuries.
It’s not easy to swing the bat with finger and core muscle pain, so he is using the offseason to take care of the latter and report to spring training in tip-top physical shape.
A Star In The Mets Lineup
Marte was one of the Mets’ most important players this year.
When healthy, he was exciting and productive: he slashed .292/.347/.468 with a .814 OPS, 16 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 118 regular-season games.
He was passable as a fielder, having been deployed mostly as a right fielder, but if he is fully healthy, the 34-year-old will once again be expected to be an offensive and defensive catalyst.
Injuries, however, could start to become a problem for him as he ages.
Marte’s game is mostly based on speed and athleticism, and although it would be foolish to deny he has improved a lot as a hitter, injuries could really start taking a toll on his body at some point.
It’s important he gets some much-needed rest during the offseason.
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