Mar 12, 2024; Salt River Pima-Maricopa, Arizona, USA; General view of Kansas City Royals hats and gloves in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies during a spring training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Royals' New Addition Shares Big Goals for 2026

Originally posted on Kansas City Royals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Mar 3, 2026 4:31 PM ET

The Kansas City Royals bolstered their outfield depth with a key signing over the weekend, as they added veteran outfielder Starling Marte on a one-year, $1 million contract for the 2026 season. They needed one more right-handed bat, and Marte gives them just that.

He spent the 2025 season with the New York Mets. He'll serve as a right-handed option against left-handed pitching for a team that is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Marte officially arrived at Royals' camp on Tuesday morning. The veteran outfielder shared his vision for the 2026 season and for the Royals.

"I value the guys and feel comfortable," he said. "For me, this will be a new season and I'm committing to doing the best I can to help the team. I know and I hope that everything gets better through the difficult times, to work through it and keep moving forward.

Marte ready to go for 2026

Marte was productive at the plate last season, hitting .270/.335/.410 with nine home runs, 34 RBI and a .745 OPS. However, injuries limited him to just 98 games during the regular season. The Mets did not make the postseason, much like the Royals.

However, if he can stay healthy, he could be just what the Royals are looking for off the bench and against left-handed pitching. Their outfield production was a major weakness in 2025, and it led to the offense underperforming for much of the season. The trades to acquire Mike Yastrzemski and Randal Grichuk also didn't help them the way they thought it would.

But Marte is a proven veteran bat and somebody that can also be a leader in the clubhouse, which is huge for a younger Royals roster. The 36-year-old has been in Major League Baseball for 14 years, having made his Major League debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates all the way back in 2012.

The veteran outfielder also is ready to serve in that role for the Royals and help them get back to the postseason after falling short last year. More offense certainly doesn't hurt, and the same goes for veteran leadership in the clubhouse.

It will be interesting to see if Marte can stay healthy this year. If he can, that's one extra weapon the Royals will have in their arsenal. There is a lot to like about this signing, and we'll see if his big goals are met in 2026.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Royals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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