Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte, currently sidelined on the injured list with a knee issue, was spotted at a local casino Friday night while his team was playing a home game against the Reds. Photos circulating on social media show Marte at a roulette table, with the D-backs game visible on a nearby TV in the top of the sixth inning. This isn’t just a casual night out; it’s the latest twist in a drama that’s had manager Torey Lovullo feeling “betrayed” and teammates expressing serious frustration.
The “Free to Do What He Wants” Excuse Is Getting Thin
This whole mess blew up when Marte failed to show up for a game against the Red Sox in Boston on Monday. The team initially slapped him on the restricted list, which, let’s be real, is never a good sign. He finally met with club officials on Thursday to explain his absence, after which he was moved from the restricted list to the injured list for his knee. Marte had left the team in Boston to get that knee tested, which, okay, makes sense. What doesn’t quite add up is then being at a casino during game time. Manager Torey Lovullo, trying to keep it together after Friday’s game, stated, “He’s free to do whatever he wants. That’s how I look at it. As long as he wakes up tomorrow morning and posts, and gets his work done at Salt River, which I am certain he will, that’s all that matters to me right now.” But hold up, earlier on Friday, Lovullo had a very different tune, admitting he felt “betrayed” by the whole situation. “I was hurting. I was clearly hurting,” Lovullo said pre-game. “Once I saw what was unfolding, I became extremely frustrated, and I felt betrayed. And that’s a whole different type of pain and frustration. But I’m through that. I’m getting through that.” That’s a pretty raw admission from a manager, right? Saying you feel “betrayed” by one of your core guys, even if you try to walk it back later.
Teammates Are Speaking Up, and It’s Not Good
It’s one thing for the manager to be frustrated, but when teammates start speaking out, you know it’s a real problem. Reliever Kevin Ginkel didn’t hold back, saying, “For us to go where we want to go, we’ve got to have him here. It’s disappointing how the things that happened happened. There’s really no explanation for it.” That’s about as blunt as it gets without calling someone out directly. And this isn’t Marte’s first rodeo with frustrating his team. He was away from the D-backs last year after his home was broken into during the All-Star break, and apparently, there’s been ongoing criticism about his habit of requesting days off. The guy’s 32, a former MVP candidate from 2024, and an All-Star the last two years. He’s got a .249 average, 21 homers, 67 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases so far this season, which is a “down season by his usual standards.” He even gained 10-and-5 no-trade protection in April after trade rumors swirled all offseason. You’d think with all that, the focus would be 100% on the field, even when rehabbing.
Look, players on the injured list aren’t typically required to attend games, and Marte was apparently rehabbing his knee at Salt River Fields earlier in the day. But when your manager feels “betrayed” and your teammates are calling out a lack of explanation, showing up at a casino during your team’s game just isn’t the look you want. Lovullo is banking on Marte “waking up tomorrow morning and posting,” but you gotta wonder what kind of vibe this creates in the clubhouse for the rest of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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