Ketel Marte flat out didn’t show up to the Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Boston Red Sox, even after flying out with the team. Seriously, this dude just went AWOL, leaving the D-Backs in a seriously messy situation. The team slapped him on the restricted list, and yeah, there were reports he was dealing with an injury. But let’s be real, he left the team on his own, right in the middle of a postseason hunt. That is NOT a good look for Marte, plain and simple.
Coddling an All-Star
Here’s where it gets wild: the D-Backs aren’t punishing Marte for this stunt. What gives, right? USA Today’s Bob Nightengale dropped the bomb, explaining that the club actually believes if they were to discipline Marte beyond brief stints on the restricted list for previous AWOL incidents, they would “lose” him. Can you believe it? They’re so afraid of losing their All-Star second baseman, who’s a really good player, despite all the off-field “baggage” he’s carrying, that they’re choosing to “coddle and indulge him.” It’s a shocking move when your team is battling for something big.
A Lose-Lose Situation for Arizona
This whole situation is an absolute lose-lose for the Diamondbacks. On one hand, if they actually punish Marte, they think he’s just gonna peace out. But on the flip side, by not punishing him for ditching the team, they’re setting a terrible precedent for everyone else in that clubhouse. What message does that send to the guys showing up every day, busting their butts? And to make matters even crazier, Marte has 10-5 rights, which means he has to accept any trade the team tries to make. The dude essentially has veto power over his own future!
Marte is slated to return to action against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, August 31. But with all this drama, there’s serious doubt about his long-term fit with the team. How do you move forward when your star player pulls a move like this and the team is too scared to actually hold him accountable? This is gonna be a wild one to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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