It is inevitable that Starling Marte will be playing for another team in 2022. While he was a perfect fit for the top of the Oakland A’s lineup, it comes down to a matter of money. A’s ownership just refuses to open the vaults, and with ten free agents and 11 players eligible for arbitration, the idea that they will bring in anyone that is at the top of the free agent board is laughable.
Marte himself is aware of his situation. On Sunday, he posted a message that indicated that he was saying goodbye to the organization and the fans as he knows that he is beyond their budget.
Starling Marte with a message after possibly playing his final game with the A’s. He’ll go down as one of the most impressive Trade Deadline acquisitions in quite some time. Electric. pic.twitter.com/5q6bhsMpeW
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) October 4, 2021
Starling Marte can see his time with the Oakland A’s is over
Marte was everything that the A’s could have hoped for. He produced an excellent .312/.355/.462 batting line in his 251 plate appearances in Oakland, hitting five homers and 16 doubles while stealing 25 bases. Marte was the MLB stolen base king, with 47 steals between his time with the A’s and Marlins, finishing fifth in the NL and sixth in the AL this year.
He was even more important when Ramon Laureano was lost due to his PED suspension. While Laureano had moved over to right to make Marte’s transition to Oakland easier, his acquisition ended up solidifying a portion of the outfield for the rest of the year.
But he was too successful. While his performance did not lead to a playoff berth, it did increase his price tag on the open market. He is going to be far more than the A’s would be comfortable spending, as he will require far more than whatever is beneath the couch cushions in the locker room.
Starling Marte can see the writing on the wall. He has said goodbye to the Oakland A’s organization and the fans.