SEATTLE — Starling Marte was a key part of the Mets’ lineup until he was placed on the disabled list in late June with right knee soreness.
More than six weeks later, Marte remains sidelined — he’s rehabbing in the minor leagues and is scheduled to report to Double-A Binghamton on Sunday — but the Mets have been able to weather his absence in part thanks to Tyrone Taylor filling the void.
Taylor was the fourth outfielder to start the season, but his role has expanded in recent weeks, along with his offensive numbers.
Entering Saturday’s game, the 30-year-old Taylor was batting .294/.346/.451 with a very respectable average in 18 games since the All-Star break.
Whether he started in right field, shifted to center field or came off the bench, Taylor emerged as a valuable asset for a team that finished a half-game behind Atlanta for the third wild card spot in the National League.
“It was fun to get a little bit more playing time,” Taylor said before the Mets’ 4-0 loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
The right-handed hitter Taylor’s reverse splitter is a favorite of manager Carlos Mendoza, given that the only left-handed starting pitchers in the rotation are switch-hitter Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil.
This season, Taylor is batting .272/.318/.462 with five home runs in 171 at-bats against right-handed pitchers.
He has struggled against left-handed pitchers, batting just .183/.230/.293 with one home run in 87 at-bats.
For a team that has struggled with scoring average, Taylor was putting up a solid 20-for-77 (.260 batting average) at the start of the game.
But Taylor’s offensive contributions are probably secondary to the value he brings to the Mets as a defensive presence.
Taylor entered the game with plus-three outs above average, which ranked him in the 82nd percentile in MLB.
His arm strength ranked in the 90th percentile.
“I don’t pay any attention to that sort of stuff,” Taylor said.[Outfield coach] “Antoine Richardson will come to us and give us some stats like how well our jumps are going and if there’s anything we need to improve on, he’ll tell us. Other than that, we just go out there and do our best. Hopefully that’s enough. I’m glad it’s been good enough so far.”
Marte struggled defensively before being placed on the disabled list after being diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right foot.
Marte could return to the Mets during their next home game, which would likely reduce Taylor’s role, who has been sharing right field with trade-deadline acquisition Jesse Winker.
But a bench role was also what team executives had in mind when Taylor was acquired along with Adrian Hauser in a trade with the Brewers last winter.
Taylor, who is under team control through the 2026 season, is a player the Mets would consider fitting in well with his surroundings.
“From day one, I’ve felt a positive vibe from everyone here,” he said. “It’s my first time being traded, but everyone here has the same goal in mind and is just trying to do their best every day. From the players to the staff, it’s just a fun group to be around.”
Taylor’s versatility and production gives Mendoza plenty of options when putting him in the everyday lineup.
“TT’s been good for us not only defensively, but also against right-handed hitters and just hitting big,” Mendoza said, “and anytime he’s not in the lineup, he’s ready to come in and play.”
