Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte, reportedly under fire from within and without the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse, issued an apology on Monday for missing games this year.
Marte has sat out 33 games throughout the season, including the first three after the All-Star break. While Marte was participating for the National League team in the Midsummer Classic at Atlanta, his home in the Phoenix area was burglarized.
Marte didn’t return to the team until the second day after play resumed, and he didn’t play the next day either. According to USA Today, the Diamondbacks put him on the unpaid restricted list for the first two of those games.
“Initially the intent was to come back on (for the first game) and be with his team and practice,” Marte said through interpreter Rolando Valles. “He wants to publicly apologize for not backing that up. I mean, he obviously knew the circumstance of his situation. He got frustrated and was in a bad spot. He truly wants to apologize for his teammates and everybody else.”
Marte chalked up his other absences to health issues.
“He’s had injuries in the past and that is a plan that is being integrated within the coaching staff and himself in order to keep him on the field …” Valles said. “It’s intended to be for recovery. In those days (off), he does everything that he needs to do in order to get himself back on the field and help the team win.”
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said of Marte’s apology, “I’m proud of him for doing that. That’s not easy for him to do, and I know he showed some vulnerability. I’m really, really proud of him for digging in the way he did.”
After going 1-for-5 in the Diamondbacks’ 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Monday in Phoenix, Marte is batting .295 with a .395 on-base percentage, a .553 slugging percentage, 23 homers and 56 RBIs in 93 games.
The three-time All-Star has a career .282/.352/.474 batting line with 166 homers and 571 RBIs in 11 major league seasons — 2015 and ’16 with the Seattle Mariners and the past nine years with Arizona.
–Field Level Media
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