PORT ST. LUCIE — After not playing in a game since last October, preparing for Monday night felt somewhat “weird” to Starling Marte.
“But once you go out there, once you feel the dirt, once you see the field, it feels good,” Marte said through an interpreter after starting as the DH in the Mets’ 8-0 exhibition victory over the Cardinals at Clover Park.
Marte, who is dealing with a right-knee bone bruise that limited him earlier in camp, doubled in his first plate appearance of the spring and finished 1-for-2.
Marte said he considered breaking for third on the throw home that nailed Jesse Winker but thought better of it.
The Mets attempted to trade Marte following Juan Soto’s arrival over the winter, but a deal never materialized.
Marte now figures into a DH platoon with Winker.
The goal is to get Marte into the outfield for action near the end of camp, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, but it’s not considered necessary.
But Marte considers it significant.
“It’s important to have a player like myself be 100 percent in the outfield, to have a player who is capable of doing the things I do, where I can run at full capacity, where I can throw at a high level,” Marte said.
Griffin Canning, in his second appearance of the exhibition season, threw 55 pitches over 3 ²/₃ scoreless innings.
He allowed one hit and struck out five.
The right-hander is competing for a spot at the back end of the rotation.
Paul Blackburn and Tylor Megill are also in the mix.
Officials from the MLB Players’ Association, including union head Tony Clark, convened with Mets players as part of their annual spring-training tour.
Clark lauded the Mets, with a payroll that will exceed $300 million for a third straight season, for the direction the franchise has taken under owner Steve Cohen.
“We appreciate any time a team is committed to putting the best team on the field that they possibly can, all with an eye on trying to be the last team standing,” Clark said. “That is what this organization has been committed to since Steve has taken over and so we’re hopeful, we wish that we were in a conversation with all 30 teams. We wish that there was more of a commitment to that across the board.”
Brandon Nimmo returned to pregame baseball activity after resting his right knee following a gel injection.
The Mets are looking to get Nimmo back into the lineup this week.
He’s received only two plate appearances in the Grapefruit League.
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