During Monday’s game in Boston, Ketel Marte was absent from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Reports indicate that he simply failed to arrive at Fenway Park.
According to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, the standout second baseman was absent from the stadium during his team’s crushing 11-1 defeat against the Boston Red Sox on Monday. Up until shortly before the first pitch, the Diamondbacks remained hopeful that Marte would arrive, though he ultimately did not.
By Tuesday, multiple outlets reported that Marte had gone back to Arizona to undergo an MRI scan on his knee. Detailed information regarding a possible knee issue was not immediately made public, and it remained uncertain whether this physical concern played a role in his missed appearance on Monday.
Regardless of the underlying cause, the Diamondbacks decided to designate Marte to the restricted list on Monday. Additionally, Arizona brought up infielder Jose Fernandez from their Triple-A team, the Reno Aces, on the same day.
Manager Torey Lovullo acknowledged being aware that Marte was dealing with something on Monday, yet he held onto hope that the second baseman would arrive in time for kickoff. Lovullo was not even entirely certain if Marte was physically present in Boston.
“Today has been incredibly chaotic. My only understanding is that he is managing a private matter,” a visibly moved Lovullo explained. “We are working to understand the situation. He was a no-show today, which led to his placement on the restricted list. That represents the entirety of my knowledge at this moment.
“I expect that we will begin to piece together and clarify the details as time goes on. However, I was conscious of an ongoing situation today… I remained under the impression that he would make an appearance. He simply never arrived.”
This marks the second consecutive year that Marte has taken an unannounced leave from the Diamondbacks. Following the All-Star break last year, he traveled back to the Dominican Republic, resulting in three missed matchups. He explained that he felt “frustrated” and was “in a bad spot” upon discovering his residence in Arizona had been broken into, though he subsequently offered an apology to his teammates.
Earlier in the current season, rumors circulated that Marte’s choice to request rest days continued to “frustrate segments of the organization,” yet manager Torey Lovullo quickly came to his defense.
“I can say with absolute sincerity that Ketel has performed as an incredible player for the Arizona Diamondbacks over a sustained duration,” Lovullo said in June. “Rest days are necessary, they are largely planned in advance, and we seek his feedback. When a player shares their perspective, we respect and act on it.
“However, there is this persistent narrative suggesting he is a poor teammate and that it is disrupting our clubhouse dynamic, which is completely false.”
Presently, Marte is batting .249 with 21 homers and 67 runs batted in during this campaign, which marks his tenth year playing for Arizona.
In Marte’s absence, the Red Sox easily cruised to a ten-run victory on Monday. Boston established an early 7-0 advantage before Arizona managed to get on the scoreboard, comfortably securing the lopsided win. This triumph boosted Boston’s record to 67-58 for the season.
On the other hand, Arizona sits in third place in the NL West, pursuing the final National League wild-card berth with a record of 66-60. Securing a postseason spot would unquestionably be a far simpler task for the franchise with Marte active in the lineup.
