Ketel Marte Faces Criticism Despite His Outstanding Season
Arizona Diamondbacks player Ketel Marte is having one of the best seasons of his career, but this has not prevented criticism off the field. The All-Star second baseman apologized through an interpreter for missing three games after the All-Star break, after returning to his home in the Dominican Republic. This situation seems to have generated tensions in the locker room during the last month. Marte, 31, explained that he initially expected to return to Phoenix immediately after the break, but felt “frustrated” and “in a bad place” upon learning that his residence in Scottsdale, Arizona, had been robbed during the break. The D-backs were at a crucial point in the season, fighting for a playoff spot before the July 31st trade deadline. Arizona placed Marte on the restricted list for the first two games of his absence and then did not play a third game after returning to the team. In response to criticism about the absences, Marte stated that he has been dealing with injury problems and is following a plan designed by the training staff. This year, Marte has missed 33 games, most due to a hamstring injury.Lovullo added that Marte is a great teammate and plays hard every day. Marte has faced criticism following a report that mentioned frustration among some teammates regarding his behavior and that his absence after the All-Star break may have affected the team’s performance before the trade deadline. The Diamondbacks, who had high expectations at the start of the season, have a record of 60-66. Arizona won all three games that Marte missed after the All-Star break, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals, but then lost nine of 10 games when he returned to the lineup. This affected the organization’s focus on the trade deadline. The Diamondbacks sent third baseman Eugenio Suárez and first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners in separate deals, outfielder Randal Grichuk to the Kansas City Royals, and right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly to the Texas Rangers. Mars is having an excellent offensive season, with a batting average of .297, 23 home runs, and 56 RBIs. The three-time All-Star has been with the organization since 2017 and was key in the team’s unexpected run to the World Series in 2023.I know there’s an elephant in the room and I’m going to say what I want to say about it. I’m proud of him for doing it. I know he showed some vulnerability and I’m very proud of him for digging deep the way he did.
Torey Lovullo, D-backs Manager
