PHOENIX -- Ketel Marte returned to Chase Field on Monday, exactly two weeks after he failed to show up for a game at Fenway Park, and the Diamondbacks' second baseman tried to explain for the first time publicly what prompted his actions.
"It was a moment of frustration," Marte said via translator Alex Arpiza. "I'm the type of person that when something is going on in my life, I don't like to talk about it. That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I couldn't react. No one made the decision for me, I'm the one that made the decision not to show up."
Marte's teammates as well as manager Torey Lovullo and GM Mike Hazen were left in the dark that day in Boston as to what the issue was, and no one knew until Marte and his agent met with Lovullo and Hazen a few days later at Salt River Fields.
Marte apologized to Lovullo, who has described his relationship with Marte as being like a father and son.
"I get along really well with Torey," Marte said. "In that instance, I failed him by not showing up. Not going to the stadium, that’s what I regret."
The Diamondbacks placed Marte on the restricted list that night, switched it to the 10-day injured list a couple days later and sent him back to Phoenix for an MRI on his left knee that showed some inflammation.
After meeting with the media, Marte said he was going to go into the clubhouse and address his teammates as a group for the first time. Over the past week, Marte has spoken with some players individually, but Lovullo requested that he address the entire team.
"I’m going to stand in front of my teammates like a man," Marte said. "I don’t want any of my teammates to go through what I went through that morning. I love my teammates. I understand their frustration. I understand the most important thing right now is that I’m doing well and my family is doing well, as well."
Asked if he had a message for the fans, Marte shook his head no.
Lovullo tried to clarify that later.
"I know that he loves the fans," Lovullo said. "I know that he picks up on their energy. He pays attention to what the fans say and do. I know he loves his fans."
When Marte was done, Lovullo spoke for nearly 20 minutes discussing the situation while also defending the way he has handled Marte in the 10 years he's managed him.
Some in the media as well as fans have wanted Lovullo to take a harder line with Marte, but Lovullo explained why that is not a workable strategy. When criticized, Marte tends to shut down in response.
"He's definitely a retreater when things are on his mind, some things I cause when I crash down on him," Lovullo said. "I know you guys want me to sometimes bury him and make him feel even worse than he already does. He doesn't respond to that. But I feel like it's my job to do that sometimes. When I do it, he retreats. When something doesn't go well, he retreats. I just want everybody to be patient with him, care for him and support him because he feels the energy from people."
The Diamondbacks went 7-6 in Marte's absence, and they are locked in a fight with the Padres for the final NL Wild Card spot. They held a half-game lead over San Diego heading into play Monday.
Given what is on the line, the team has been desperate to put the whole situation in the rearview mirror, and Lovullo has told Marte that he believes an apology to the whole team could act as a springboard.
"I told him, ‘This could galvanize this team,’" Lovullo said. "‘It will bring everybody closer. I promise you.’ That's my gut feel. That's how I feel about it. I think that this group is waiting to hear from him. I think we're going to put this behind us as soon as he does that. It's going to make us closer, and that's hard to believe [because] we're already a very close team."
And they're one that simply wants to move forward.