MIAMI – Before speaking to the media ahead of the D-backs' 10-6 loss to the Marlins at loanDepot park on Tuesday, manager Torey Lovullo wanted to address what he believes is a false narrative surrounding Ketel Marte.
Lovullo pushed back against suggestions that people within the organization have grown frustrated with Marte for taking days off, including when he was out of the lineup for Arizona's game against the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani on June 3.
The discussion also stems from last season, when some players were reportedly upset after Marte remained in the Dominican Republic following his appearance in the All-Star Game and missed Arizona's first three games in the second half of the season.
For Lovullo, the criticism doesn't match the player he has managed for nearly a decade.
“I can wholeheartedly tell you that Ketel has been an unbelievable player for the Arizona Diamondbacks for a long period of time,” Lovullo said. “There are days off that are needed. They're fairly scripted, and we ask for his input. When the athlete gives his input, we're going to listen.
“But there's this underlying theme that he's not a good teammate, and it's pulling out the fabric of the clubhouse chemistry, which is not true at all.”
Marte has been a fixture in Arizona since being acquired from the Mariners in November 2016. He made his D-backs debut on June 28, 2017, as a pinch-hitter at 23 years old. The three-time All-Star is slashing .253/.305/.450 with a .755 OPS, playing 62 games out of a possible 66 this season for Arizona. He has also won two Silver Slugger Awards and was named the MVP of the 2023 NL Championship Series.
“[Lovullo and I] have great communication,” Marte told MLB.com in Spanish. “When your manager goes out and defends you, it’s for a reason. Torey and I get along really well and he is like a father to me, we have been together for 10 years. He knows me better than anyone.”
Marte shared that there is some frustration when it comes to hearing those things about himself, but he will continue to let his work at the plate speak for him.
“Those are situations that are out of my hands,” he said. “But it bothers me because I know the type of person and player that I am. I have worked really hard this year to play as many games as possible to help the team.
“But I ultimately don’t let those things let me lose focus, so I just need to keep working.”
Marte has also had to navigate trade rumors dating back to the offseason. Through it all, he said he has remained focused on his work and embracing the challenges that come with the game.
“That is when I can respond and help the team,” Marte said. “I just try to get good turns and get on base. I know that I have Corbin [Carroll] and [Gabriel] Moreno behind me, and they are good batters. If I get on base, I know that they can get a hit and get runs.”
He took that mindset to the field on Tuesday.
Marte went 3-for-5 with two singles and a double. The double scored a run in the seventh, and one of the singles came during Arizona's three-run eighth inning, when Marte lined a two-run knock to center field that scored Geraldo Perdomo and Ryan Waldschmidt and cut Miami's lead to one run. Later in the inning, Carroll drove in Tommy Troy with a groundout to tie the game at 6.
Lovullo pointed to Marte’s double as an example of the quality he brings to the lineup.
“He stayed through the ball and he challenged himself and the pitcher through the entire at-bat,” Lovullo said. “The line-drive double in left-center field that came earlier in the game, that was impressive. And then dug out a ball down at the bottom of the zone, so quality hitting on his part.”
The dependence and trust Marte places in the rest of the lineup, with Carroll homering in the opening frame and Moreno adding a solo shot in the fourth, is part of the clubhouse culture that Lovullo takes pride in fostering.
“I want to allow the players to be themselves, the best version of themselves,” Lovullo said. “This team is hungry, they're very directed and they know how to handle that type of information.”
That is why Lovullo felt it was important to address the rumors directly, emphasizing that Marte remains one of the most important pieces of the D-backs' success.
“That couldn't be further from the truth,” Lovullo said. “He's been a great teammate, great human being, a great husband, a great father, and he happens to be one of the best players in the National League.
“I know where his heart is, and it's about being a good teammate and winning baseball games.”