The Arizona Diamondbacks are reportedly activating second baseman Ketel Marte from the 10-day IL on Monday, bringing him back after a bizarre absence marked by a knee injury, a “personal issue,” and a very public casino sighting. This whole situation has been a head-scratcher since August 16 when Marte was first sidelined.
The Disappearing Act and the “Personal Issue”
Marte’s troubles actually kicked off on August 17, when he completely missed Arizona’s game against the Boston Red Sox. Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters Marte was dealing with a “personal issue” and that the team had hoped he’d show up at Fenway Park right before first pitch, but he never made it. Lovullo admitted, “It’s been a crazy day. All I know is he’s dealing with a personal issue. We’re trying to figure that out… I still believed he was going to be here. He just didn’t show up.” This no-show led to Marte being placed on the restricted list, before it was later reported he’d get an MRI and then officially moved to the IL for a knee issue.
Here’s the kicker: this isn’t Marte’s first disappearing act. Last summer, he jetted off to the Dominican Republic after the All-Star break, missing three games. He claimed he was “frustrated” and “in a bad spot” after his Arizona home was burglarized, eventually apologizing to the team. Plus, earlier this season, there were whispers that Marte was “frustrating segments of the organization” by taking too many days off, though Lovullo jumped to his defense back then, calling him an “unbelievable player” and pushing back on any “bad teammate” rumors.
The Casino Sighting and Lovullo’s Take
The whole situation took another wild turn on August 21 when Marte was spotted at Talking Stick Resort casino, near the D-backs’ complex, during one of Arizona’s games! Photos and videos of him gambling went viral on social media, making an already weird story even weirder. When asked about it, Lovullo seemed surprisingly cool with the whole thing. “He’s free to do whatever he wants. That’s how I look at it,” Lovullo told reporters, adding, “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.”
Before all this drama, Marte had put up some solid numbers in 118 games, slashing .249/.314/.446 with 21 home runs and 67 RBI. He’s a big part of that lineup.
Now, with the D-backs sitting at a 73-65 record, 9.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, but crucially holding onto the third NL Wild Card spot by just half a game over the Padres, Marte’s return for Monday’s series opener against Philadelphia is massive. Francys Romero’s report says he’s expected to address the team before first pitch. What he says, and how he performs, could make or break their playoff hopes in the tight Wild Card race.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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