The New York Mets have overcome plenty during the 2024 campaign, but no hurdle has been larger than the number of injuries the blue and orange have suffered.
While many key contributors, such as Drew Smith and Brooks Raley, have been lost for the season, others are still trying to make their way back onto the field, including a star outfielder who is supposedly nearing a return.
Mets are close to getting Starling Marte back
When speaking to reporters before Saturday’s afternoon clash with the Miami Marlins, Starling Marte, who has been out since June with a right knee bone bruise, is getting closer to returning and that the bone looks better.
“I think I’m close. After meeting with the doctors [Friday] and looking over my knee, he gave me good news,” Marte said through an interpreter.“There’s still a little bit of inflammation around there, but it’s one of those things that, with proper training methods and all that, it will eventually subside.”
Prior to heading to the injured list, the injury had perplexed the organization, with the 35-year-old having to scratch due to knee issues on multiple occasions. However, Marte provided some insight on what exactly caused the injury, saying it came due to overuse and continuing to play through pain.
Currently, the plan for the former all-star is to continue to ease back into playing and see how his knee is recovering from day-to-day.
“What we don’t want is for me to kinda rush back onto the field and then for that pain to come again and not go away,” Marte said. “That’s what the doctor said, we want to avoid that. But at the end of the day, I want to be able to go out onto the field where everything feels right. So I can give my hundred percent to this team and help them in any way that I possibly can.”
Marte had returned to form offensively before the injury, slashing .278/.328/.416 across 66 games with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.