Starling Javier Marte is a baseball player in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is Dominican and as of the 2021 season, he plays for the Oakland Athletics. Other teams he has played for in the MLB include the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Miami Marlins.
He is signed with the Athletics through to the 2022 season. In his career, he has won the Golden Glove Award twice, once in 2015 and again in 2016. He was also named to the All-Star team in 2016.
Athlete Bio and Personal Life
Marte was born on July 26, 1988, in the Dominican Republic. His full name is Starling Javier Marte. Raised by his grandmother since he was nine years old, following his mother’s death, he grew up near Santo Domingo. He is a widow and has three kids with his late wife.
| Team |
Oakland Athletics
|
| Height / weight | 1.85 m / 88 kg |
| Born | 9 Oct 1998 |
| Nationality |
Dominican Republic
|
| Nickname | Tato |
| Team History | |
|
Oakland Athletics
|
2021 - present |
Miami Marlins
|
2020 - 2021 |
Arizona Diamondbacks
|
2020 |
Pittsburgh Pirates
|
2012 - 2019 |
He stands 6 feet 1 inch or 185 cm tall. His listed weight is 195 pounds. He bats right and he also throws with his right hand. He wears jersey No.2 when playing for the Athletics.
The Minor League
In 2007, the Pittsburgh Pirates signed Marte. He was moved to the minors and played center fielder for the Bradenton Marauders. He played 60 games with the Marauders and had a batting average of 0.315.
Other minor league teams he has played for include the Altoona Curve and the Indianapolis Indians.
While in the Minors, Marte was named the Eastern League Mid-Season All-Star in 2011. He was also named the Rookie of the Year in 2011 by the Eastern League. In 2012, while playing for the Indians, he was named the International League Mid-Season All-Star.
Major League
In November 2011, Marte was added to the 40-Man Roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In July 2012, they promoted him from playing in the minors. He made history by being the first player in the Major Leagues to have come from the Pirates’ Dominican Republic-based Latin American complex. He signed a six-year US$31 Million deal with the pirates.
While with the Pirates, he was awarded the Rawlings Golden Glove Award in 2015 and 2016. In 2017, he faced suspension after he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He had to sit out 80 games, without pay.
He returned to the MLB in 2017. The Pirates trade him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2020. A few months later, Arizona traded him to the Miami Marlins.
He suffered a fractured rib in April 2021 and was placed on the injured list. While in rehab, he was assigned to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. In July 2021, he rejected an extension offered by the Marlins and instead signed with Oakland Athletics.
Career Highlights and Awards
- 2016 - All-Star
- 2015, 2016 - Gold Glove Award (2015,2016)
MLB Statics
Batting Average: 0.289
Home Runs: 126
Runs Batted in: 502
Stolen Bases: 296
