Starling Marte proposes to GF Elianny Santana three years after his ex-wife's tragic death

Starling Marte seems to be making the most of his time on the sidelines. The Mets player announced his engagement to his girlfriend Elianny Santana in a recent post on Instagram.

The 34-year-old is somewhat of a veteran in the MLB. He has been around for the last ten years in the majors since he started with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He is currently signed to the New York Mets with whom he was an All-Star in 2022.

Marte signed a four-year contract with the New York Mets worth $78 million. He proved his worth as he went on to hit .292 with 18 stolen bases last season. However, he hasn't been able to do much this season because of lingering groin injuries. He has been out of action since July.

Regardless, things seem to be bright off the field as Starling shared a photo of him proposing to his girlfriend Elianny Santana on Instagram.

The couple can be seen kissing in the backseat of a car while Santana holds up her hand with the words "I said yes" printed on the palm. The photograph also shows the engagement ring.

The words "she said yes" are scrawled on Marte's hand in a second image showing the couple holding hands on a Rolls Royce's hood, and Santana is shown holding the ring in her hand.

Marte lost his first wife in 2020

Starling was married to Noelia Brazoban and the couple has three children: sons Starling Jr. and Smerling and daughter Tiana. Brazoban passed away in May 2020 from a heart attack while getting treatment for a fractured ankle at a hospital.

Marte unfortunately even lost his grandmother, who brought him up since he was nine, in the same month two years later. The Mets batter dedicated his first homerun to his grandmother and wife upon his return after his grandmother's passing.