Starling Marte DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reports that New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte (knee) will begin taking live batting practice early in March on the back fields in camp. The veteran outfielder has been dealing with knee soreness since last summer, although the Mets remain confident he'll be good to go for Opening Day in late March. The 36-year-old Dominican outfielder hasn't played in more than 118 games in his three seasons in Queens due to injuries, and he's hit only 12 home runs with 68 RBI and 40 stolen bases in 180 games combined the last two years. With Juan Soto now New York's starting right fielder, it seems likely that Marte will be in line for a reduced role in New York between the outfield and designated hitter in 2025. It would not be a surprise if the Mets play it safe and put him on the injured list to begin the year. He's ranked as the No. 100 fantasy outfielder at RotoBaller.

According to Jorge Castillo of ESPN, New York Mets outfielders Starling Marte and Jesse Winker are set to platoon at the designated hitter spot to open the season. Castillo noted that Marte could see occasional starts in right field. As a result, Marte will be on the short side of the platoon, given that he is the right-handed bat. Last season, the 36-year-old posted a .269/.327/.388 line with seven home runs and 16 stolen bases. However, when facing left-handed pitchers, Marte was quite effective as he posted a strong .310/.384/.460 line. Winker resigned with the Mets on a one-year contract earlier this offseason. Facing right-handers, Winker held a .258/.366/.422 slash line. As a result, both players will have limited values in fantasy, given that they will share playing time. However, both could be valuable in deeper NL-only formats, especially in daily lineup leagues.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte knocked three doubles and collected three RBI as part of a four-hit night in the Mets' 12-6 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday night in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. Marte went 4-for-5 at the plate and added a run as part of his huge night. The 36-year-old has started to heat up a bit in the NLCS, now posting his second game of the series with three or more hits. His postseason OPS rose to .785 after Friday's explosion. The Mets will continue to need his bat to produce as they fight to force a Game 7 on Sunday. Coincidentally, the Mets have won both games where Marte has recorded three or more hits in the NLCS. DFS managers can expect Marte to be back in the lineup on Sunday in Los Angeles, where the Mets are expected to face a bullpen game from the Dodgers.