Over the past few seasons, the Philadelphia Phillies have developed one of the National League’s deepest pitching staffs.
In an attempt to maintain dependable bullpens in recent seasons, the team has rotated through dozens of relievers and depth arms, even though players like Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sanchez, and Jhoan Duran have received the most attention.
A middle reliever for Philadelphia for two seasons was one of those pitchers. Despite his inconsistent tenure with the Phillies, supporters continued to recognize him during the team’s subsequent postseason victories.
Marte has now found a fresh opportunity with the team’s in-state foe after bouncing through several clubs since leaving the Phillies.
According to the official transaction record, Marte signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this month. He was first assigned to the team’s Florida Complex League squad before moving to the Triple-A affiliate Indianapolis Indians.
After a challenging period that includes a brief stint with the Cincinnati Reds organization earlier this year prior to a cut, the move offers Marte another opportunity to grind his way back to the major leagues.
After being cut from the Reds’ 40-man roster, “Marte cleared waivers, but he will test out free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment,” according to CBS Sports. “In his only appearance for Cincinnati this season, the righty reliever was tagged for four runs while recording just one out.”
The Pirates clearly saw enough potential in Marte’s arm to give him another chance, even though that difficult outing ended up being costly.
A seasoned pitcher with major league experience who can offer organizational depth and possibly contend for a bullpen position later in the season is a low-risk pickup for Pittsburgh.
Marte’s most recent transfer opens a new chapter in his professional career, which has already seen him work for several companies and even abroad.
When Marte joined the Reds, Anthony Franco wrote for MLB Trade Rumors, “Marte is back in affiliated ball after spending the 2025 season in Japan.” From 2022 to 2024, he pitched in the major leagues every year. After making 39 appearances as a rookie for the (San Francisco) Giants, Marte was an inconsistent middle reliever for the Phillies for the following two seasons.
Marte occasionally displayed the power stuff that made him an attractive bullpen option during those two years in Philadelphia. However, he was unable to establish a permanent role due to command challenges and inconsistency.
The Pirates will now try to assist the seasoned right-hander in regaining the form that previously allowed him to be a valuable member of a competitive Phillies bullpen.
