Pirates in the Playoffs: Starling Marte
The 2020 off-season was one of the craziest off-seasons for former Pirates outfielder Starling Marte. There were rumors swirling that the Pirates were going to trade the outfielder and they eventually did in January sending the outfielder to the Arizona Diamondbacks. A few months later, Marte had to deal with the loss of his wife Noelia Marte to a heart attack. It was a lot for Marte to go through, and the outfielder thought about quitting baseball, but he came back and has been rewarded for his hard work. He was one of the hottest bats on the Arizona Diamondbacks and would be traded to the Miami Marlins before the trade deadline.
Now, he is in the National League Division Series with the Marlins, albeit suffering from a broken left hand. His move to the Marlins all but sured up the outfield situation in Miami as he anchored the team in center field. Marte has always been a good player on and off the field. His Major League career started with a bang, when he homered on the first pitch he saw in the Major Leagues, and he hasn't let up since. 2020 marks his fourth trip to the MLB Playoffs, the first three coming in Pittsburgh, and he has his eye on the first World Series ring of his nine-year Major League career.
Pittsburgh Through the Farm System
Starling Marte's journey with the Pittsburgh Pirates began all the way back during the 2009 season. He was part of a slew of international signings by the Pirates, as the team looked to tap into some of the young talent that the Dominican Republic had to offer. It took Marte four short years to climb the Pirates organizational ladder and he made his Major League debut on July 26th, 2012 against the Houston Astros. He wasted no time getting his Big League career started and launched a solo home run on the first pitch he saw in the Big Leagues. It was the start of a successful eight-year career with the Pirates.
Marte would go on to be the club's primary left fielder for all three playoff years as the Pirates went from loveable losers to actual playoff contenders. You always knew what you were going to get both offensively and defensively from Marte. His average was always around the .270 to .300 mark with a lot of stolen bases. His power didn't show up until later in his career as he had just two 20+ home run seasons out of eight seasons in Pittsburgh. Overall, he hit .287 with 114 HR and 447 RBI in a Pirates uniform and was a one-time all-star and a two-time Gold Glove award winner. He patrolled left field for most of his career, taking over in centerfield after the departure of Andrew McCutchen.
That All-Star season came for Marte right after the team's playoff years during the 2016 season. With McCutchen struggling, Marte stepped up to the tune of a .311 batting average with nine home runs and 46 RBI in 129 games played. He missed a few games at the beginning of May for the birth of his child, but other than that he was in the lineup almost every day. He hadn't yet found his power stroke that he featured in his ladder years with the Pirates, but his speed was showcased as he swiped 47 bases in 59 attempts. He made the all-star game as a replacement for Yoenis Cespedes and got a hit in his only at-bat.
Marte would start to show power over his final two years in a Pirates uniform, hitting 20+ home runs in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019. It was a bounce-back effort for the outfielder, after being suspended 80 games for PED use at the beginning of 2017. He regained the respect of the Pirates fans and the league batting in the number three spot for the Pirates in front of Josh Bell. Despite the power surge, Marte was able to keep his batting average up, hitting .277 and .295 respectively in 2018 and 2019. He swiped 25+ bags in both seasons and cemented himself as a true five-tool player.
The Season of Moves
When new General Manager Been Cherrington took over the job, his first move was to evaluate talent and move pieces that could help build the farm system. Unfortunately for Pirates fans, that meant departing with one of the last pieces of the playoff teams from 2013 to 2015. However, Cherrington wasn't just going to dump Marte, he wanted to make sure he got a good return for his outfielder. That is when he hooked up with the Arizona Diamondbacks and brought in Brennan Malone and Liover Peguero, who are both on Pittsburgh's top 30 prospect list. The move marked the end of an era for Marte in Pittsburgh as he continued his career.
His time in Arizona was short but effective as he appeared in 33 games hitting .311 with two home runs and 14 RBI. He proved that he could still hit the ball consistently and get on base on a consistent basis. When the Diamondbacks found themselves out of playoff contention, it made Marte a more marketable trade piece. He was one of the last players moved at the 2020 Trade Deadline, but the Diamondbacks flipped him to the Miami Marlins for LHP Caleb Smith, RHP Humberto Mejia, and a Player to Be Named Later. Marte was now thrust into the thick of a playoff race as the Marlins were looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Since joining the Marlins, Marte has brought back his power stroke but has seen his average dip off. In 28 games with the fish, Marte has hit just .245 but has added four home runs and 13 RBI. He helped the Marlins clinch a playoff spot during a run in the middle of September that saw him hit .285 with one home run and three RBI. He got the start in the team's first playoff game since 2003 in the NLWC against the Chicago Cubs and had a good day going 2-4 with a double, however, he would end up breaking his left hand on a hit by pitch. It is unclear whether Marte will play again in the playoffs but the Marlins have not yet ruled him out. It will be a big comeback story, but Marte is looking to use the skills the Pirates gave him coming down the stretch.
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