Marlins pick up $12.5M option on OF Starling Marte

Miami Marlins' Starling Marte celebrates as he rounds first base after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of a game against the Toronto Blue Jays in September. (Wilfredo Lee, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

MIAMI – Starling Marte is staying with the Miami Marlins after the team exercised its $12.5 million contract option for next year.

Miami decided to pick up Marte’s option rather than pay him a $1 million buyout. The move Tuesday prevents Marte from becoming a free agent this offseason.

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The 32-year-old outfielder was acquired from Arizona for three players at the Aug. 31 trade deadline and helped the surprising Marlins reach the playoffs by finishing second in the NL East.

Marte went 2 for 4 with a double in the first-round opener against the Cubs but was hit by a pitch late in the game and missed the rest of the expanded postseason with a broken left hand.