Tag: Starling Marte

Starling Marte’s golf-like swing turned an absurdly low pitch into a 2-run double

Mets outfielder Starling Marte defied the laws of gravity with this astounding hit on a low ball.

New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte didn’t let the laws of gravity keep him from hammering a ball that was coming his way on Wednesday.

On a very low Houston Astros pitch that went on a downward slope just left of the hitters plate, Marte swung down where the ball was before it hit the ground and somehow made contact.

The ball sprung back up into the air on Marte’s lucky swing and went all the way to the back wall, where a confused Astros outfielder had to quickly adjust on what looked like an unhittable pitch.

The hit was so good it got Marte on base for a double and sent two other New York players in for two home runs.

The broadcaster likened Marte’s hit to a “cricket swing.” You could also confuse it for a golf swing on the back nine.

Talk about a great hit. Marte found contact at the exact right moment before the downward ball became unhittable, and it seemed to absolutely confound the Houston outfield.

It takes a great hitter to make something out of nothing, and that’s exactly what Marte did for the Mets on this improbable hit.

A chiseled Starling Marte showed up to the MLB All-Star red carpet in a suit but he left his shirt at the hotel

Quite a look for Starling Marte at the 2022 MLB All-Star Game.

Starling Marte showed up to the MLB All-Star Game looking sharp in a tan suit and in a flashy necklace and watch combo. A very Los Angeles look for an L.A. All-Star Game.

But underneath? No shirt for the New York Mets outfielder.

Was it on purpose? Was it, as my colleague Blake Schuster said, a Jamie Tartt move to deliberately show off his chiseled upper body?

It doesn’t sound that way. He told SNY through an interpreter that he left his shirt back at the hotel.

Either way, MLB fans loved it and had lots to say about the look:

How many games will the Arizona Diamondbacks win in 2020?

Analyzing the Arizona Diamondbacks projected win total for the 2020 MLB season, along with their odds to win the NL West and World Series.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are coming off a second-place finish in the National League West division in 2019 and look to return to the MLB playoffs this season for the first time since 2017. Today, we focus on the Diamondbacks’ 2020 regular-season win total and World Series odds. Do the Diamondbacks have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

Arizona Diamondbacks 2019 wins

The Diamondbacks went 85-77 last season but finished a resounding 21 games back of the NL West-champion Los Angeles Dodgers. They came up four games shy of a wild-card berth despite an impressive plus-70 run differential. It was Arizona’s third straight season finishing above .500.

Arizona Diamondbacks offseason

Free-agent LHP Madison Bumgarner was the Diamondbacks’ biggest catch of the offseason, luring him away from the division-rival San Francisco Giants. OF Starling Marte was also acquired via trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates to bolster the defense and offense. Manager Torey Lovullo returns for a fourth season in the desert.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!

Arizona Diamondbacks odds to win NL West division

The Diamondbacks (+1000) are the second favorite in what’s always a competitive NL West. They lead the San Diego Padres (+1200), Colorado Rockies (+5000) and Giants (+10000) in chasing the incumbent champion Dodgers (-1000).

With LA being far too chalky to warrant a bet within the division, the Diamondbacks are a strong value coming off a second-place finish in 2019. They’re worth a small wager to protect against injuries derailing the Dodgers’ season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at Friday at 12:20 p.m. ET.

Arizona Diamondbacks World Series odds

The Diamondbacks and Padres share +4000 odds to win the World Series, despite Arizona having an edge in the division race. This makes the D-Backs the better bet to win it all in 2020.

While they haven’t won the World Series since 2001 (with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling sharing the World Series MVP) their offense is stacked with a mix of power and speed, and Bumgarner and Robbie Ray lead the rotation. They’re worth a look for a World Series futures bet without much reasonable value beyond the +4000 cut-off.

How many games will the Diamondbacks win in 2020?

The Diamondbacks’ 2020 win total has been set at 82.5 entering the season with the OVER (-120) being the play. The Under (+100) is offering even-money, but the D-Backs have topped this projection in two of the last three seasons and finished 82-80 in 2018.

The Dodgers won last season’s head-to-head series with the Diamondbacks 11-8. It was a respectable mark for Arizona, as it should be able to rack up the bulk of its wins against the weaker teams in the division and around the rest of the National League. Marte and Bumgarner alone should add about six wins to last season’s total of 85, according to Fangraphs‘ WAR (wins above replacement).

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1473]