Starling Marte and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a one-year major league contract, pending a medical exam. Marte, in his age-37 season, is concluding a four-year, $78 million deal with the Mets, during which he faced significant injury challenges, playing only 396 games. Notably, he struggled with groin issues, requiring surgery on both sides, along with other ailments like neck strain and a bone bruise.
As the Royals look to strengthen their outfield, they may allocate more playing time for Marte if the deal is finalized. Their current outfield setup includes Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbell, Lane Thomas, and Jack Carianone. Marte, while not performing at an elite level post-2022, managed a respectable .269/.331/.398 slash line and 16 home runs in 2024-25, despite a decline in power. His contract will likely feature guarantees and performance bonuses related to playing time.
The Royals’ salary is around $149.2 million, a slight increase from the previous year, limiting their financial flexibility in offseason acquisitions. Given recent struggles in their outfield, adding Marte could help improve their lineup as they look for promising contributions from young prospects.
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