It seems there’s some behind-the-scenes drama in Arizona. Per a report from Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, some gamers on the Diamondbacks are annoyed with second baseman Ketel Marte for his tendency to overlook video games. Most frequently, that seems to be on account of well being, although a scenario across the All-Star break the place Marte was absent from the membership was additionally seemingly a supply of discontent.
Marte is clearly an asset to the Diamondbacks when on the sphere. He has been a really productive participant for the Snakes for a number of years now. That has not stopped as he has pushed into his early 30s. In reality, he’s arguably been at his greatest these days. Final yr, he hit 36 dwelling runs, drew walks in 11.1% of his plate appearances and restricted his strikeouts to an 18.2% clip. He slashed .292/.372/.560 for a 151 wRC+. He stole seven bases and bought robust grades for his glovework. FanGraphs credited him with 6.3 wins above alternative, tying his private greatest mark in that class. Solely 9 place gamers bested him there.
This yr, his manufacturing has been related. He has slashed .296/.398/.557 for a 162 wRC+ and has been credited with 4.2 fWAR, in 47 fewer video games than final yr. Each Tuesday and Wednesday in Arlington, he hit go-ahead dwelling runs within the ninth inning which in the end proved to be game-winners.
The difficulty is extra about him deciding to not take the sphere. Marte does have a notable damage historical past. In 2021, he was restricted to simply 90 video games by strains of each hamstrings. Since then, smaller absences have restricted him to the vary of 135-150 video games per yr. Per Piecoro, Marte requested for a day without work within the remaining week of the 2024 season, which “irked” teammates. This yr, he “raised eyebrows” when he requested to not play the ultimate sport earlier than the break, however then participated within the All-Star sport itself. Piecoro contrasts this sort of habits with that of Corbin Carroll, who has been enjoying by a damaged bone in his hand as a result of he feels he owes it to the workforce.
Supervisor Torey Lovullo addressed the scenario, after Piecoro’s article got here out, with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and “The Burns & Gambo Show” on Arizona Sports activities. Typically, Lovullo defended Marte on the subject of understanding his personal physique and when it wants a break.
“Ketel Marte has a large coronary heart. He’s extraordinarily emotional. He likes to play. He desires to be in the midst of all the pieces along with his teammates each single day. The physique doesn’t at all times operate the correct method. And typically we bought to hearken to what he says and do what’s greatest for him which, in flip, will give us the very best outcomes for his manufacturing.”
One incident specifically appears to transcend well being, nonetheless. Marte was positioned on the restricted list on July 18, the primary day after the All-Star break, because the Snakes had been set to play the Cardinals. It was reported round that point that Marte was away from the membership on account of a latest break-in at his Arizona dwelling, although Piecoro now notes that Marte was within the Dominican Republic for many of the break. Per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports, Marte was presupposed to journey with Carroll and Eugenio Suárez again from the All-Star Sport however determined to take a trip within the D.R. “understanding he would miss a sport or two,” in Gambadoro’s phrases. His teammates didn’t learn about his deliberate absence, and he didn’t discover out concerning the housebreaking till he was within the D.R.
It’s attainable Marte’s head was elsewhere, even earlier than the break-in. There was a much-publicized incident in late June, just some weeks earlier than the All-Star break, whereby he was visibly dropped at tears throughout a sport towards the White Sox in Chicago. Marte later advised members of the media, together with the Associated Press, {that a} fan was heckling him about his late mom. Marte’s mom died in a automotive crash in 2017.
“A fan was up on the dugout shouting issues about my mom,” Marte mentioned. “He was like, ‘Final night time I despatched a message to your mom.’” Marte mentioned he had been in Chicago to play the Cubs when his mom died, which gave the scenario further resonance. The fan was given an indefinite ban from all main league parks.
Lovullo was additionally requested concerning the All-Star break incident on “The Burns & Gambo Present,” linked above.
“I used to be unaware of the break-in,” Lovullo mentioned. “I used to be unaware of the timing of the break-in. I used to be unaware of what the intentions had been, what aircraft he was on. I simply turned conscious of him not being able to play a baseball sport on the day, on the morning, afternoon of our first baseball sport.”
At the moment, the Diamondbacks had been nonetheless preventing to remain in rivalry. By the center of July, it nonetheless wasn’t clear whether or not they would go into the deadline as consumers or sellers. Marte reported to the workforce and was reinstated from the restricted listing on July 20, lacking two video games. The Snakes received these two video games, by the way, nevertheless it’s comprehensible that his teammates would get upset about him lacking key video games with the season on the road. From there, the membership slumped a bit and ended up promoting. They traded away Josh Naylor, Merrill Kelly, Suárez, Shelby Miller and Randal Grichuk forward of the deadline.
It’s actually an ungainly spot for the skipper. It could be truthful to criticize him for not being extra insistent with Marte about stepping into the lineup extra usually, particularly if it’s rankling different teammates. Oddly, Lovullo mentioned “I don’t know what’s occurring inside our clubhouse” when discussing the scenario to MLB Community Radio. Then again, Piecoro relays that some really feel he may push Marte too arduous and danger Marte “sulking or shutting down,” in Piecoro’s phrases.
The query now could be what comes subsequent. Piecoro and Gambadoro each float the thought of a commerce but in addition downplay the likelihood. That’s a pure hypothesis when rumors of discord come out of a clubhouse. The baseball world simply noticed loads of ink spilled about disagreements between Rafael Devers and the Pink Sox. Although he was as soon as seemingly entrenched as a franchise participant on a long-term deal, he was flipped to the Giants within the wake of these tales.
Then again, scuffles like this shortly blow over typically. Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil of the Mets bought right into a battle throughout a sport in 2021, however they put that behind them and have been teammates for a few years since then.
Marte is signed by the 2031 season. He’s owed $102.5M after this yr. That features an $11.5M participant possibility for 2031. Given his skills, loads of golf equipment could be enthusiastic about buying him at that value level. Nonetheless, it’s additionally attainable groups could marvel if they’d be buying a considerably injury-prone participant who’s shifting in the direction of his mid-30s and who could not have 100% dedication to the sport. Marte’s deal doesn’t have no-trade safety however he could have 10-and-5 rights a number of days into the 2026 marketing campaign.
