Marte’s numbers haven’t been great this year, but big postseason hits can go a long way.
With the bases loaded, two outs, and the Mets leading by two runs in the sixth inning last night in Game 3, Starling Marte came through with one of the Mets’ biggest hits of the postseason as he singled in a pair of runs. That third run proved to be decisive, as the Mets went on to win 7-2.
By win probability, a metric that is imperfect and often times cold, the hit wasn’t the Mets’ biggest play of the game. At +8.9% WPA, it was surpassed by a few other moments that mathematically benefited the Mets more in the game. But it was absolutely a turning point in how the game felt at the time, one that set the tone the rest of the way.
With Aaron Nola having loaded the bases without recording an out to begin the bottom of the sixth, the Phillies understandably turned to their bullpen. Orion Kerkering retired the first two batters he faced without allowing a run to score. Marte came up, and it just felt like the Mets couldn’t afford to fail to score.
Thankfully, Marte came through. And given his so-so stats at the plate in the regular season and even his not-so-great slash line in the playoffs coming into the game, that wasn’t a sure thing. But it happened, and while the Mets have had some absolutely massive hits over the past nine days—some of the biggest in franchise history—Marte’s meant a lot to the Mets’ success, too.