A longtime Met is heading to a new ballclub.
Starling Marte has agreed to a major league contract with the Royals on Saturday, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported.
Terms of the deal — which is still pending a physical — are not yet clear.
The 37-year-old Marte spent the past four years with the Mets after signing a four-year, $78 million contract before the 2022 season.
That first season ended up being both his most productive and the one where he spent the most time on the field, as he slashed .292/.347/.468 with 16 homers and made the National League All-Star team.
Injuries, though, limited him to just 278 games and a .694 OPS over the final three years of the contract.
In 2024, he played a key role in the “OMG” Mets playoff run, as he collected three hits in the wild-card round against the Brewers, including an RBI single in the ninth inning of the clinching game.
In six games over the NLCS loss to the Dodgers, he was one of the Mets’ best hitters, going 9-for-27 with four doubles and four RBIs.
In a part-time role — mostly as a designated hitter — in 2025, Marte had a 111 OPS+, which was his best mark since 2022.
Outside of his playing ability, Marte emerged as an important person in the clubhouse, as outfielder Juan Soto told noti.group’s Mike Puma in August.
“He’s literally the leader of this team — I feel like he’s actually the captain of this team,” Soto said. “He’s bringing everybody together. He’s bringing the energy that we need. He’s a guy who has been stepping up every single time, it doesn’t matter what.
“He’s actually the real deal of the team. He’s the model of the team. Everybody, when they want to talk and get to know something or have a conversation, they can go to him. He’s actually the real deal.”
He now joins a Royals team that finished 82-80 one year after they reached the playoffs as a wild-card entrant before losing to the Yankees in the American League Division Series.
DH proved to be one of the weaker spots in Kansas City’s lineup last season with a .615 OPS.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
