Royals Sign Marte, Crush Rockies
Kansas City signed veteran outfielder Starling Marte and showed early power by exploding for 16 runs in a spring training blowout over Colorado. The Orioles fell 7-5 to Atlanta, but Adley Rutschman tied it with a 2-run homer while Honeycutt hit his 3rd spring HR.
The Kansas City Royals have inked veteran outfielder Starling Marte to a one-year Major League contract, pending a physical. This move comes after the Royals missed the postseason in 2025 with an 82-80 record and were actively looking to add an impact bat to their lineup. Marte, 37, spent the last four seasons with the New York Mets, though injuries limited him to just 396 games over his four-year, $78 million contract. In 98 games last season, he hit .270 with nine home runs, 34 RBIs, and seven stolen bases, primarily serving as a designated hitter. The two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner brings a career .285 batting average to Kansas City. The Royals had previously shown interest in acquiring Marte from the Mets last winter, indicating a long-standing desire to add his veteran presence to their outfield mix. Meanwhile, Adley Rutschman is looking to bounce back for the Orioles after a disappointing 2025 season that saw him post a career-worst .673 OPS. His two-run homer against Atlanta was his first of the spring, and he's currently 4-for-15 at the plate.
