The Mets had just one hit in their opening game loss to the Brewers at Citi Field on Friday, but that one hit opened Queen’s eyes.
That’s because Starling Marte’s 169.2 mph laser had just gone over the left field wall.
The ball was the hardest hit by Mets all day, and Marte added a fly ball to deep right, which was acrobatically caught by Jackson Cholio and grounded out at 167 mph in the fifth inning. I hit.
All of those were encouraging signs for the 35-year-old outfielder, who had a lackluster day.
Marte’s tenure with the Mets thus far has been very disappointing, marred by injuries and poor play.
A year ago, groin and core muscle issues, as well as migraines, limited him to just 86 games.
The delay in signing J.D. Martinez was seen as a move made in part because the team had concerns about Marte’s production in 2024, but Marte did so in Friday’s 3-1 loss. It may have allayed some of the concerns.
“I’m happy to be healthy despite all the injuries and problems I’ve had,” Marte said through an interpreter. “I felt really good about all the hard work I put in in the offseason.”
Marte also played in the Dominican Winter League, but did not produce results during a grueling spring training season in the third season of a four-year, $78 million contract as an outfielder.
“I’m glad I was able to play on the field and get a result,” Marte said.
The home run was the only hit the Mets mustered in six innings pitched against Milwaukee right-hander Freddy Peralta, but it wasn’t in traditional fashion.
The ball hit the guardrail just above the fence and bounced off the field, leaving Marte unsure if it was a home run.
“I hit it and it went really hard out of the box,” Marte said. “I saw [left fielder Christian] How Yelich throws the ball [on a lob to second base] Then I looked at the umpire and knew it was a home run. ”
He hit just five of those last season, but 2023 was interrupted frequently by injuries and headaches, making 2023 a miserable year for everyone involved in Queens.
Marte has a long way to go before he can prove that’s behind him, but at least he can say he’s off to a good start.
