'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Juan Soto hailed the leadership quality of Starling Marte, who has been with the New York Mets since 2022. Marte has won two All-Star selections and two Gold Gloves, but his impact his far from just numbers and accolades. Several Mets stars look up to him for advice, according to Soto.
Among all the veterans present in the clubhouse, including Francisco Lindor, Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso, Soto unofficially named the outfielder his captain.
“He’s literally the leader of this team — I feel like he’s actually the captain of this team,” Soto told The New York Post on Wednesday. “He’s bringing everybody together. He’s bringing the energy that we need. He’s a guy who has been stepping up every single time, it doesn’t matter what.
Trending
“He’s actually the real deal of the team. He’s the model of the team. Everybody, when they want to talk and get to know something or have a conversation, they can go to him. He’s actually the real deal.”
Starling Marte was the first to publicly embrace Juan Soto after his blockbuster deal
In the offseason, Juan Soto inked a massive 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets. Marte was one of the first teammates to publicly embrace Soto’s arrival. He shared an Instagram story following Soto's signing, captioned:
"Welcome to our Family."
Earlier in June, while Soto was still settling in with the Mets, it was Marte who helped the outfielder. Soto acknowledged the same during a separate exclusive interview with the New York Post.
“Marte is a veteran player, and a great teammate, a great dude,” Soto told The Post. “He’s one of the guys I have talked to the most, probably the most. He’s been teaching me the Mets way and how to settle in. And it has meant a lot to me.
“I can’t tell you what he’s been telling me, but he’s definitely helped me a lot to settle in with the clubhouse and how everything works in here.”
This season, Starling Marte has only appeared in 78 games, hitting .284 along with eight home runs, seven stolen bases and 27 RBIs. Meanwhile, Juan Soto has batted .251 along with 32 home runs and 22 stolen bases. Both are trying to help the Mets win the World Series this year.
