A new look for Noelvi Marte

On the field, Noelvi Marte now wears black sleeves, black batting gloves and a red elbow guard that blends in with his jersey. It’s a much different look than he had last year, when every one of his accessories were yellow.

Marte has always felt like the color yellow has brought him good luck, so he wore a yellow shin guard and elbow guard last year, along with pink sleeves and gloves. But when you look in his locker now, you only see equipment that’s black, white and red.

“I’m feeling good right now, and I don’t feel like I need to use (yellow),” Marte said via interpreter Tomás Vera. “I don’t want to bring any inconvenience or bother anybody, so I want to keep it simple now.”

When he’s asked if this is Marte 2.0, he smiles. Marte, still just 23 years old, likes the idea of having a fresh start.

“I thank God because he helped me come back and feel myself,” Marte said.
“Doing what I’m doing right now, I’m confident in myself.”

Last year tested that confidence. First, he was suspended for 80 games for violating MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment program.

When Marte returned, he was still the Reds’ every day third baseman as well as an integral part of the Reds’ young core at the big league level. But then over the second half of last season, Marte was terrible. He hit .210 with a .549 OPS made 12 errors and didn’t look confident making routine plays and throws at third base.

Even though Marte only played half of a season, he had the second-worst WAR (-1.8) in all of MLB. During spring training, Marte mostly worked out with the minor leaguers in big league camp, and he was optioned to Triple-A early in the roster cut down process.

“He worked hard (in minor league camp and in Triple-A), just like he did in Major League camp, which you like hearing,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “He worked hard in our camp. He really did. Then, when he goes to the other side and you hear the same things, that makes you feel good.”

Marte was called up last Tuesday because the Reds needed some short-term help. The offense was in a bad place, and Matt McLain was headed to the IL with a hamstring injury. McLain was only expected to miss a week (he’s still expected to return this coming Tuesday), and the Reds needed an infielder on the 40-man roster who could provide some depth for a few days. Marte was swinging the bat well, so he got the nod over Tyler Callihan.

After Marte was called up, he was on the bench for three straight games as Blake Dunn, Santiago Espinal and Gavin Lux (in a left-on-left matchup) got starts over him. It would have been easy to get Marte in the lineup vs. a lefty on Friday, but he didn’t make that start.

Marte ended up in the lineup on Saturday as Christian Encarnacion-Strand (back/hamstring” was banged up. Marte played a really nice game, making some slick plays at third base and picking up a single up the middle.

Overall, even in batting practice and during pregame workouts, he looks more athletic, comfortable and confident than he did a year ago.

“I’ve been working really hard to get to this point, and I’ll take advantage of the opportunity that I have,” Marte said. “I’ve been working hard to be here.”

While Francona didn’t go as far as to say that Marte played his way into Sunday’s lineup (hitting eighth and playing third base vs. a right-handed pitcher), Francona said, “We wanted him to play two in a row. If he were 0-for-4 with a couple of errors (on Saturday), it might have been a little harder.”

Marte still has a lot to prove, and there’s still a long road ahead of him to regain his spot as the Reds’ every day third baseman.

McLain and Austin Hays (calf) both could return from the IL on Tuesday, so the Reds will have to send two players down.

Even if this is a short stint in the big leagues for Marte, it’s been an encouraging one.

“He has been amazing,” Espinal said.