What happened to Starling Marte? Mets slugger scratched from Saturday's start

New York Mets slugger Starling Marte was expected to start on Saturday but has been scratched. The outfielder is not feeling well, according to manager Buck Showalter.

Showalter did not get into specifics, just stating Marte is feeling ill. The Mets will have DJ Stewart taking over for Marte during their Saturday night game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jeff McNeil will start in left field, while Luis Guillorme will take over the second base duties. Marte will be viewed as day-to-day going forward and should return to the lineup in a few days.

Kodai Senga will get the stat on the bump as he tries to improve on his 7-5 record. He will be tested as the Dodgers have the second-most home runs behind the red-hot Atlanta Braves. Senga must keep the ball on the ground if he wishes to succeed on Saturday.

Starling Marte has struggled this season

New York Mets v San Diego Padres

So far this season, Starling Marte is hitting .254. This is the second-lowest batting average he has seen in his career. He is pressing at the plate, and the numbers show.

Marte is getting considerably weaker contact and hitting grounders more than ever. He is one of the reasons the New York Mets have been one of the more disappointing teams this year.

The Mets are 19.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East. They are not in a position to be buyers at the trade deadline. Many around the league believe this team will dump some players at the deadline and look to next season.

General manager Billy Eppler said he is open to any possibilities during the trade deadline. He desperately wants the Mets to regain relevancy and is growing tired of this team's consistency in falling short.