Starling Marte injury update: Mets outfielder activated off IL, returns to tight NL wild-card race

The New York Mets activated veteran outfielder Starling Marte from the injured list on Sunday, paving the way for him to make his first appearance since June 22. He's in the lineup batting fifth and playing right field. In a corresponding move to clear space on the active roster, the Mets designated fellow outfielder Ben Gamel for assignment.

Marte, 35, missed nearly two months on account of a bone bruise in his right knee. In 66 games prior to his IL stint, he hit .278/.328/.416 (112 OPS+) with seven home runs, 30 runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases on 12 attempts. Marte's contributions had been worth an estimated 0.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to the calculations housed at Baseball Reference.

Recently, the Mets have relied on an outfield combination that included Brandon Nimmo , Harrison Bader , and trade acquisition Jesse Winker . Winker, it should be noted, has scuffled since coming over from the Washington Nationals . In 14 games with the Mets, he's batted .289/.319/.333 (88 OPS+) with two extra-base hits; for comparison, he hit .257/.374/.419 (128 OPS+) in 101 games with the Nationals.

Gamel, 32, made 18 appearances with the Mets. He hit .217/.400/.261 (96 OPS+) with a run batted in and a stolen base. The Mets now have a week to place Gamel on outright or release waivers. It's worth noting that he has more than six years of major-league service time, meaning that he could reject any outright assignment in favor of becoming a free agent.

The Mets enter Sunday with a 64-59 record, putting them nine games back in the National League East and a single game back in the hunt for the third and final NL wild-card spot. The Mets will close out their series against the Miami Marlins on Sunday before hosting the Baltimore Orioles for three games beginning on Monday.