Mets not yet giving up on struggling Starling Marte

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.Carlos Mendoza said he plans to keep giving Starling Marte playing time despite the lack of production from the outfielder, who entered Sunday night amid another slump.Marte started at DH, against Yankee left-hander Max Fried, and went 1-for-2 with a strikeout and double — his first extra-base hit since April 29, when hit just his second homer of the season — before being lifted for pinch hitter Brett Baty.“I’ll continue to give him chances,’’ Mendoza said prior to Sunday’s 8-2 loss.

“He’s getting an opportunity today.He’s been an elite player in this game.”And as the manager has noted previously, Marte is a victim of not playing regularly.“I feel it’s not an easy role to be in, when you’re used to playing every day and it takes time,’’ Mendoza said.

“We have to understand it’s not an easy role to be in, when you’re not getting at-bats every day and you’re only facing lefties or when you get an opportunity as a pinch hitter and it’s usually in a high-leverage [situation] and you’re facing a pretty good arm.”But Mendoza said some of the underlying numbers are encouraging when it comes to the 36-year-old.“The ball continues to jump off the bat, the bat speed, it’s there,’’ Mendoza said.“I’m pretty sure he’ll get it going here pretty soon.”Despite Mendoza’s confidence, Marte’s average exit velocity is down, and he’s hit slightly worse versus lefties (.602 OPS heading into Sunday) than righties (.604).He’s in the final year of a four-year, $78 million contract, and the Mets shopped him during the offseason.Not surprisingly, there hasn’t been much of a market for Marte, a player in decline who has battled injuries throughout his time with the Mets.With Jeff McNeil back and showing an ability to play the outfield again, he can take up a spot — especially agains...