The New York Mets completed a three-game sweep against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, winning 9-1 in yet another impressive offensive showing. After starting the season 0-5, New York is now two games above .500 and vying for second in the NL East.

Following an underwhelming off-season in which the team missed out on big names like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, the Mets began the 2024 MLB season with five straight losses. Between poor hitting and average pitching, made worse by the absence of injured ace Kodai Senga, it seemed like the team was planning to limp its way to 2025.

In 13 games since, however, New York has gone 10-3, winning four straight series against the Reds, Braves, Royals and Pirates. The team’s offense has picked up considerably and pitchers have held opposing teams to three runs or less in seven games since April 5.

In the Mets’ latest victory over the Pirates, completing the sweep, all of the team’s improvements were on full display. All but one of New York’s batters recorded a hit, and outfielders Starling Marte and Harrison Bader both hit home runs to put Pittsburgh away. Both players were major question marks entering the season, as Marte was coming off a nagging injury last year and Bader was a speculative off-season acquisition.

Meanwhile, the Mets’ pitching staff kept the Pirates in check all day. Starter Luis Severino allowed a single unearned run in six innings of work. Star closer Edwin Diaz was not required, nor were many of New York’s premier relievers, as Jorge Lopez, Jake Diekman and Grant Hartwig shut down the Pirates late to preserve the blowout win.

The Mets are still not a perfect team by any means. They still appear lightweights in a stacked National League in many respects. Star shortstop Francisco Lindor has improved slightly in recent weeks, but he is still hitting just .151 in 85 plate appearances.

However, the Mets have mostly completely rebounded from their early-season slump, proving that they can compete with some of MLB’s best teams. Starting Friday, the Mets will play a series on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers, which may put the resurgent NL East team to the test.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Martes had been struggling with a groin injury dating back to November of 2022, but according to the team the 35-year-old looks to be in good form as the MLB season begins.

“I continue to think with Starling the most important thing is health,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “And what we’ve seen is that he’s a healthy player.”

Marte missed the final two months of last season due to a groin injury but has gone through adequate rehab to satisfy both himself and the team. He made multiple appearances in the Dominican Winter League but struggled in Spring Training with only a .159 batting average. Marte finished pre-season ball playing 16 games and scoring four runs on a .245 on-base percentage, but his return proves hopeful for New York.

“During spring training you are working on different things so you just have to make sure you are going out there and getting the reps that you need,” Marte said through an interpreter. “Obviously you are able to look at those numbers and that is why you ask, but those numbers don’t really matter.”

Before having groin surgery in late 2022, Marte finished the year as an All-Star with a .292 batting average, a .347 on-base percentage, .468 slugging and 16 home runs in 118 games. As the Mets look to make a playoff run, they hope to find the same Marte from 2022 on their roster this year.

“I worked really hard this offseason to correct a lot of the things that went wrong last season physically, so once I was able to play those games in the winter league where I was able to run the bases and feel good there, that is when I kind of when it clicked for me,” Marte said.

Marte was also asked by team manager Carlos Mendoza if he would be open to playing in the designated hitter role, but that was a week before they signed DH J.D. Martinez. Marte was originally hesitant about the idea, but after conversations with Mendoza and Martinez, he agreed that he could play the DH role in a limited span this season.

“It was one of those things where [Mendoza] said it can favor me in the long run — how my body could benefit from it,” Marte said. “After the signing, we had to have another conversation, and I told them if that’s what they want, on some days to play DH, I will still do it and [Mendoza] was able to speak to me in a way I could understand because it’s not something that I have done… When you have a hitter of that caliber it’s going to make an impact and I felt like we needed to have that type of impact bat in the lineup,”

Marte has been in the league since 2012, but only once has played more than 150 games in a season. As a player whose career has been marked by multiple long-term injuries, Marte’s efforts this season will impact the success of a Mets team with only one playoff appearance since 2016.

Marte signed a four-year $78 million deal with New York in 2022 and is currently set to make $19.5 million this year. Since signing the deal the right fielder has proved his value, as long as he can stay healthy. The Mets are set to owe the 35-year-old $41.5 million over the next two years, but he could go unsigned after that if his injuries continue. If he does find a healthy stretch this season, Marte could be the deciding factor for a team desperate for postseason success.

Opening day of Major League Baseball is almost here. With that being said, it is time to take a look at each team’s prognosis heading into the 2021 season after the 2020 pandemic-shortened season.

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In 2020, the Marlins took advantage of the 60-game abbreviated season and made their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2003. They ranked in the bottom third of the league with a 4.86 ERA and weren’t much better on offense, ranking 25th in home runs with 60 dingers.

The Marlins only went to the postseason two other times in team history, and they won the World Series both times. While the Marlins should produce a .500 record, the team’s lack of offensive firepower will make it very hard to make the playoffs in a competitive National League East division.

Miami Marlins Projected Batting Order:

1. SS Jon Berti
2. OF Starling Marte
3. 3B Brian Anderson
4. 1B Jesus Aguilar
5. OF Corey Dickerson
6. OF Adam Duvall
7. C Jorge Alfaro
8. 2B Isan Diaz
9. Pitcher

Miami Marlins Projected Pitching Staff:

• SP1 Sixto Sanchez
• SP2 Pablo Lopez
• SP3 Elieser Hernandez
• SP4 Trevor Rogers
• SP5 Nick Neidert
• CL Yimi Garcia

Miami Marlins Team Outlook:

Over the course of the offseason, Miami added four relievers to their bullpen. While none of them will make a huge difference, relievers Anthony Bass and Adam Cimber should be able to hold down the seventh and eighth innings. In February, the Marlins acquired John Curtiss from Tampa Bay. They also signed outfielder Adam Duvall.

Looking at Miami’s offense, their star player is Starling Marte. Yes, they have some decent bats, but the rest of the lineup will need to be revamped via Miami’s farm system. There is no denying that a large part of the team’s 2020 success can be attributed to starting pitching. Starter Sixto Sanchez will be an elite ace, and starter Pablo Lopez showed improvement and should flourish in 2021. Even Sandy Alcantra should produce solid numbers this season.

Looking onto 2021, it seems as if the Marlins will have some good stretches when their offense contributes. However, their overall lack of slugging will probably lead to the team missing the playoffs.

Miami Marlins Schedule:

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The wife of Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder, Starling Marte, has died of a heart attack. Noelia Marte was awaiting surgery for a broken ankle, when she suffered a heart attack in the hospital. 

Last night, Marte shared a post on both his Twitter and Instagram accounts announcing the passing of his wife in both Spanish and English. “It is a moment of indescribable pain. On behalf of my family, I am grateful for the expressions of esteem and solidarity in this difficult time.”

Marte was traded to the Diamondbacks from the Pittsburgh Pirates during the offseason and both teams in a statement shared their condolences for the 31-year old and his family. 

Diamondbacks: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Noelia Marte. Starling and his family are part of the D-backs’ family and we will do all we can to support him and their children during this incredibly difficult time.”

Pirates: “The entire Pirates family extend our deepest condolences to Starling Marte and family during this terrible time.”