Mets veteran fighting to return before team's disaster season wraps

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte hasn’t appeared in the majors in nearly a month due to a right groin strain and MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo notes that the veteran has received two cortisone injections and spent the past week working with a lower leg specialist in Philadelphia in hopes of returning to the field this season. Per DiComo, Marte’s discussion with reporters proved to come with news that’s both encouraging and ominous: while Marte is optimistic that he’ll be able to play for the Mets again in 2023, it’s possible Marte will have to undergo a groin surgery identical to the one he underwent back in November this offseason.

Marte made the second All-Star appearance of his career with the Mets in 2022, slashing a strong .292/.347/.468 with a 134 wRC+ in 505 trips to the plate with the club last year. The now 34-year-old veteran struggled badly this season prior to heading to the injured list, however, slashing just .248/.301/.324 in 341 trips to the plate. That performance is good for a wRC+ of just 76 this year, 24 percent worse than league average. With two years and over $40M left on Marte’s contract, the possibility of another season hampered by the same offseason surgery that hindered him this season is sure to be worrisome for Mets fans. The club is currently relying on DJ Stewart and Jeff McNeil in the outfield corners alongside Brandon Nimmo in center.

More from New York’s teams…

• Sticking with the Mets, GM Billy Eppler spoke to Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio Sunday afternoon. During the conversation, Eppler indicated to the duo that the Mets would be active in the starting pitching market this offseason. That should hardly come as a surprise, given the club shipped out Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the trade deadline earlier this season, leaving the club with few surefire starting options outside of Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana headed into next year. Youngsters David Peterson and Tylor Megill are currently in the rotation for the club, but both sport ERAs over 5.00 this season. Fortunately for the Mets, the upcoming free agent pitching class is deep with quality options, including the likes of Blake Snell, Aaron Nola and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
• The New York Yankees lost right-hander Ian Hamilton to the injured list earlier Sunday thanks to a right groin strain, with fellow righty Greg Weissert replacing him on the active roster. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) that Hamilton’s injury is the same one that caused him to miss roughly six weeks earlier this summer. Per Hoch, the club is holding out hope that Hamilton will be able to return this year, but Boone acknowledged it’s possible he’s done for the season. Hamilton joined the club on a minor league deal back in February and has proven to be a stalwart member of the club’s bullpen this year, with a 2.24 ERA and 2.74 FIP in 52 1/3 innings of work.
• Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who has been out since last month due to post-concussion syndrome, is going through baseball activities in New York, as Boone told reporters (including Hoch) Sunday evening. While Rizzo has not suffered a setback as he looks to return to the field, Boone indicated that the club intends to sit down with their veteran first baseman in order to discuss Rizzo’s progress in rehabbing the injury. With less than a month left in the regular season and Rizzo seemingly not close to beginning a rehab assignment, it seems unlikely that the 33-year-old will return this season, though Boone said as recently as August 23 a return before the end of the year was “realistic,” per MLB.com.