The Diamondbacks asked for a big return in a potential Ketel Marte trade and none materialized, so GM Mike Hazen has informed the teams that he had engaged in talks with that Arizona will no longer consider trading its All-Star second baseman.
The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal was the first to report that Arizona had decided to stop listening to offers for Marte after Hazen said a little more than a week ago that he wasn't going to let the situation linger much longer.
"It never ended up getting that close," Hazen said of potential deals. "Just sort of reaffirming what I've been saying the entire offseason, like my expectation was this wasn't going to happen. I felt like I had to do my job just to listen to what people had to say. He's a superstar player for us, and has been for a long time, and is going to continue to be."
Marte has been one of the best players in Major League Baseball over the last seven seasons, making three All-Star teams, including being voted the NL starter at second base the last two Midsummer Classics, while winning two Silver Slugger Awards and compiling a bWAR of 27.8 and a slash line of .289/.363/.510 over that stretch.
Marte, 32, finished fourth in the NL MVP voting in 2019, third in 2024 and 22nd last season.
Looking to bolster their pitching staff while at the same time reducing last year's Opening Day club-record $195 million payroll prompted the Diamondbacks to listen to offers for Marte this winter.
"Obviously, at this juncture of our team, we just have a lot of uncertainty in areas and just have had to explore every option to build a team," Hazen said. "And fully acknowledging, if we had [traded Marte] it would have weakened our team, for sure, on one side of the ball tremendously. I don't love doing it for the human factor. I know it puts players in an awkward situation."
With that in mind, Hazen said he spoke to Marte by phone after informing other teams over the last couple of days that he was not going to engage in discussions any longer. The two will sit down and talk in the near future when Marte comes to Arizona for Spring Training, but Hazen said he did not expect there to be any lingering hard feelings.
"He's a pro," Hazen said. "He's going to be a top 10 MVP performing player in the league next year, and it'll be fine."
With Marte, outfielder Corbin Carroll, catcher Gabriel Moreno and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, Hazen said the Diamondbacks have as strong as any top four hitters in a lineup in the league.
Aside from possibly adding a right-handed hitting first baseman/designated hitter type player and possibly moving either outfielder Jake McCarthy or Alek Thomas, the Diamondbacks main focus between now and Feb. 11 when Spring Training opens will be on strengthening the bullpen.
Hazen said he still has money in the budget to add a couple of relievers, though, it seems unlikely that the team has the financial wherewithal to add a big-dollar free agent on a long-term deal after not trading Marte.
That would seem to take Arizona out of the chase for free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman unless managing general partner Ken Kendrick decides to exceed the budget or the two sides get creative on a deal.
Hazen, as is his policy, declined to discuss Bregman or any potential free agent specifically.
"We have a lot of good young, versatile [position] players that have started to trickle up," Hazen said. "We will look to add externally, and then certainly continue to add to the pitching staff as best we can. We're still in the free agency and trade markets, hopeful to add a couple of relievers and still open starting-pitching wise, if something made sense to continue to build that up."
Marte was attractive to teams not just for his performance on the field, but also his contract. The 32-year-old has signed three contract extensions with the Diamondbacks, with the latest coming last April, which runs through 2030 with a player option for 2031.
Marte is set to make $15 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, $20 million in 2028, $22 million in 2029 and $22 million in 2030. His player option for 2031 is for $11.5 million.
The deal includes escalators based on his finish in the MVP voting as well as plate appearances. The contract also includes $46 million in deferred salary.
Marte will gain 10/5 rights in April, meaning that he cannot be traded after that without his approval.