Ketel Marte is back in the Arizona Diamondbacks lineup for Monday’s home game against the Philadelphia Phillies after a bizarre absence and stint on the injured list, but manager Torey Lovullo dropped a bombshell that reveals the depth of the problem: “It’s not the first time,” he said about Marte going AWOL. This isn’t just about one missed game, folks, it’s a pattern.
Marte’s Frustratingly Vague Explanation
Speaking to reporters for the first time since that mysterious August 17 no-show against the Red Sox, Marte admitted, “I failed” manager Torey Lovullo. But don’t expect any deep dives into what actually happened. Through an interpreter, Marte called it “a moment of frustration.” He added, “I’m the type of person that when something’s going on in my life, I don’t like to talk about it. So that’s kind of what was going on.” He hadn’t even spoken to his teammates yet, saying he’d “stand in front of my teammates like a man” and that he didn’t “want any of my teammates to go through what I went through that morning.”
He did try to clear Lovullo, saying they “get along really well” and that his frustration had nothing to do with the skipper. Marte claimed, “That morning, I woke up, my body was in pain. I couldn’t react. No one made the decision for me. I’m the one who made the decision to not show up.” As of Monday, he claims to be feeling “very well” both physically and mentally. Oh, and about those social media posts showing him gambling at a casino during a D-backs home game against the Reds on August 21? Marte acknowledged the trip, shrugging it off as, “I’ve been injured before. Those are things that I do in my personal time.” When asked if he had a message for Diamondbacks fans, he shook his head no. Talk about a cold shoulder.
Lovullo’s Blunt Reality Check
While Marte kept things vague, Lovullo offered a starker picture of his second baseman. The manager has been in Marte’s corner, sure, but he couldn’t hide the truth. He confirmed this wasn’t an isolated incident, telling reporters, “It’s not the first time.” Lovullo described Marte as “definitely a retreater.” He explained that when things are on Marte’s mind, or when Lovullo “crashes down on him,” Marte “retreats.” Lovullo noted that burying Marte doesn’t work. This isn’t just a physical issue, it’s clearly a mental one, and it’s been happening. Back on August 17, when Marte didn’t show up, Lovullo had said, “I knew that there was something going on today… I still believed he was going to be here. He just didn’t show up.” Marte was placed on the restricted list that night, later hitting the injured list with knee inflammation following an MRI.
So, Marte is back in the lineup, knee inflammation apparently resolved, but the fundamental issues Lovullo highlighted? Those aren’t going anywhere. For the Diamondbacks, this isn’t just about getting a star player back. It’s about a looming question mark on their roster, and whether a player who “retreats” when things get tough can be relied on when the season gets crunch time. Get ready for more drama, D-backs fans, because this saga feels far from over.
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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