The Kansas City Royals designated two-time All-Star outfielder Starling Marte for assignment on Monday, as part of a series of roster moves aimed at integrating returning players and adjusting their active roster.
The club reinstated first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and third baseman Maikel Garcia from the 10-day injured list and recalled left-hander Connor Thomas from Triple-A Omaha.
To clear the necessary spots, the Royals optioned infielder Josh Rojas and right-hander Jose Cuas to Omaha while designating the 37-year-old Marte.
Marte signed with Kansas City in March on a one-year contract guaranteeing $1 million, with the potential to earn up to an additional $2 million through roster and performance bonuses.
The Royals viewed the veteran as a low-cost addition who could provide right-handed depth in the outfield and at designated hitter, particularly against left-handed pitching, for a team that has struggled for consistent outfield production in recent years.
That bet did not pay off. In 59 games with the Royals, Marte hit .242/.298/.314 with two home runs, 14 RBIs, and two stolen bases across roughly 158-168 plate appearances.
The production marked a clear step down from his recent form. Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the New York Mets, he posted a .269/.331/.398 line with a 108 wRC+ in 699 plate appearances while still contributing on the bases.
A two-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner, Marte has enjoyed a lengthy and successful career that began with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012. He has also played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics, and Mets.
Career highlights include more than 1,600 hits, over 160 home runs, and 363 stolen bases—making him MLB’s active leader in steals at the time of the designation. He remains one of a select group of players with at least 150 home runs and 350 stolen bases.
With the Royals well out of postseason contention and their key position players returning, roster space became limited. Marte, who had slid down the outfield depth chart and also started at DH, became the odd man out.
As a player with more than five years of major-league service time, Marte has the right to reject an outright assignment to the minors while still collecting the remainder of his 2026 salary.
He will be placed on waivers in the coming days. If he clears, another club could claim him, or he could elect free agency and attempt to catch on elsewhere for the final stretch of the season.
The move closes a brief and underwhelming chapter for Marte in Kansas City while allowing the Royals to prioritize younger or higher-upside options as they look toward the remainder of 2026 and beyond.
