3 Crazy reasons why the Miami Marlins could consider a reunion with Starling Marte?

The NL East rival New York Mets have reportedly made former Miami Marlins' star Starling Marte available via trade. Reports even specify that the Mets would be willing to absorb some of the $20.75 million owed to Marte as he enters the final year of his contract.

The Marlins, who are in full rebuild mode, have been religiously trading any MLB talent for prospect capital. On paper, it makes little sense for them to pursue a 36-year-old outfielder in the final year of his deal. However, there are a few small reasons why a reunion with the Marlins is just crazy enough to make sense.

The Cost

The price tag is always of the utmost importance when talking about the Miami Marlins. If the Mets are indeed willing to part ways with their aging outfielder, owner Steve Cohen has proven his willingness to absorb bad money to make a deal happen.

Could there be a world where New York ate a significant amount of Marte's deal while also taking on the $3.2 owed to reliever Anthony Bender (who is projected to be Miami's third-highest-paid player next season) in a hypothetical trade? It may be worth asking to see how motivated the Mets are to clear Marte's roster spot and at-bats.

The Marlins would assuredly need to pay some of Marte's salary themselves. But that may be worth it based on the veteran's ability to move the needle in:

Mentorship

Marte is a 13-year MLB veteran with two All-Star honors and two Gold Glove awards on his resume. While the Fish are flush with young prospects, they lack an established veteran to help them grow and develop.

The Marlins currently have a trio of young outfielders, Jesus Sanchez, Griffin Conine, and Kyle Stowers, who they are super invested in. Miami needs consistent, major-league, talent to emerge among this group.

However, they do not have anyone on the current roster to mentor these potential stars. Who is showing them how to develop? Who is teaching them how to be professionals? To develop consistency during the grind of a 162-game schedule?

Marte's mentorship and presence in the clubhouse could be invaluable. And this extends far beyond the trio of outfielders. Marte could be an asset to all of Miami's young players.

Ticket Sales

Now that Jake Burger has been traded, which players are fans in Miami motivated to buy tickets to see? There are several potential stars in the system. However, Miami lacks any real appeal on their major-league roster.

The veteran outfielder also flourished during his first stint in Miami (2020-2021), hitting .286 with 11 homers and 27 stolen bases across 92 games. He has already proven his ability to perform and connect with the Miami fan base. Many will already recognize his name.

The Marlins have a long way to go as they seek to build a healthy relationship with their fan base. However, spending several million to add a familiar face in Marte would move the needle in a positive direction more than signing an unknown veteran from the free agency pool.

The price would need to be right. And New York would have to be properly motivated to move him. But, if the stars align, Marte represents more value to the Marlins than any free agents who are realistically in their price range.

Peter Bendix and company should seriously consider the unorthodox notion of bringing Starling Marte back to Miami in 2025.