Ketel Marte, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ three-time All-Star second baseman, is officially on the restricted list after he failed to show up for Monday night’s game against the Red Sox in Boston. This isn’t just a minor blip for Arizona; the D-backs are currently 66-60, sitting just one game behind the Padres for that final National League wild-card spot.
The Disappearing Act and the Communication Breakdown
Manager Torey Lovullo confirmed the news after their ugly 11-1 loss to Boston, saying Marte was dealing with a “personal issue” and simply “didn’t show up today.” But the real punch to the gut? Lovullo admitted there’s been “very little” communication with Marte, adding he’s “doing my best just to reach out to him. Very little coming back.” Can you imagine that as a manager, trying to navigate a crucial part of the season with one of your stars? Players on the restricted list don’t get paid and don’t accrue service time, so the personal and professional stakes are incredibly real for Marte here. Lovullo thinks Marte is still in Boston, which, okay, but “very little coming back” is the alarming part for a team fighting for every single win.
Déjà Vu for the D-backs?
Sound familiar? It absolutely should. This isn’t the first time Marte has gone MIA from the team. Almost exactly a year ago, he apologized publicly for being away after the 2025 All-Star break, following a home burglary. Back then, teammates were reportedly frustrated with his absences and off-day requests right in the middle of a playoff push. Lovullo himself summed up the current vibe saying, “Sometimes you get disappointed. Sometimes you get let down.” While his teammates reportedly had “lot of curiosity” initially, they apparently “relaxed and focused on the game” once they knew Marte wasn’t hurt or in danger. Easy for them to say when a core player is just…gone. Despite not hitting his typical All-Star stride this year, Marte’s still put up productive numbers for a contending team: a .249 average, 65 runs, 21 homers, 67 RBIs, and 4 stolen bases. This is a guy with a massive six-year, $105 million contract that runs through 2030, and he’s sitting third all-time in D-backs WAR. You expect leadership, you expect reliability from a player of that caliber and pay grade, right?
To fill the sudden void, the D-backs quickly called up infielder Jose Fernandez from Triple-A. Good thing he was already in Boston, just in case Nolan Arenado needed the injured list. Fernandez even went 1 for 3 in that messy 11-1 loss, doing what he could. So now, Arizona is down a key player, they’re only one game out of a wild-card spot, and they have a manager who can’t get ahold of his star. What a mess, and what happens next? The D-backs desperately need to figure out this “personal issue” and get Marte back on the field and communicating, or this tight wild card chase could slip away from them faster than you can say “missed call.”
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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