Once again, the Arizona Diamondbacks are dealing with Ketel Marte and reported frustrations with his behavior. Before their series opener against the Miami Marlins, manager Torey Lovullo addressed this growing narrative with the media.
“Before it gets any further, I just want to address the Ketel Marte situation,” Lovullo told The Arizona Republic‘s Jose Romero in Miami. “I can wholeheartedly tell you that Ketel has been an unbelievable player for the Arizona Diamondbacks for a long period of time.”
This is also the first game the Diamondbacks will play following Bob Nightengale’s report for USA Today on frustrations about Marte’s off-day requests. The three-time All-Star was out of the lineup on June 3 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, a game started by two-way star Shohei Ohtani. Arizona lost 7-0 that night.
With a potential distraction hanging over the team, Lovullo acted quickly to squash those reports. Arizona is 34-31 and tied for the third Wild Card spot with the San Diego Padres entering play on June 9.
Diamondbacks Manager Addresses Latest Reports on Ketel Marte
Lovullo made sure to address all topics concerning Marte that have popped up in the last calendar year. The Diamondbacks manager defended his practice concerning off days and denied allegations that his behavior is negatively affecting their clubhouse.
“There are days off that are needed. They are fairly scripted, and we ask for his input. If the athlete gives his input, we’re going to listen.”
Another criticism of Marte is his fit in the Diamondbacks clubhouse. Some teammates had reportedly grumbled their frustration to The Arizona Republic‘s Nick Piecoro. The Diamondbacks second baseman pushed back on those reports with this Instagram post.
“There’s this underlying theme that’s not a good teammate, and it’s pulling at the clubhouse chemistry, which is not true at all. That’s something I take pride in paying attention to, and I want to allow the players to be the best versions of themselves.
“What I ask that stops is that theme that something is wrong in our clubhouse because of Ketel Marte. That couldn’t be further from the truth. He’s been a great teammate, a great human being, a great husband, a great father, and he happens to be one of the best players in the National League. That’s what I’m focused on.
“He’s going to help us win baseball games, he’s going to help us get to where we want to get to. It’s just one of those things where it’s spinning away from us. And I want to make sure I address it and defend the player, because I believe in the player, I know the player, and I know where his heart is. It’s about being a good teammate and winning baseball games.”
Diamondbacks Deny Friction With Ketel Marte
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – JUNE 04: Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks celebrates with teammates after hitting a walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the ninth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on June 04, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 3-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Lovullo’s remarks echo teammate Geraldo Perdomo’s actions from last season. Following a loss to the Rockies at Coors Field on August 17, Perdomo pleaded with the media to leave Marte alone when these reports first surfaced.
One rumor that got out of hand on June 8 was a supposed trade between the Diamondbacks and Red Sox involving Ketel Marte and Marcelo Mayer. That rumor got to the attention of both organizations.
Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow refuted that rumor, dismissing it as “blatantly false”. Francys Romero also reported on X that Marte “isn’t going anywhere.”
Romero’s report also stated there were no issues in the relationship between Marte and the organization.
The Diamondbacks shopped Marte in the offseason, as he was their best trade chip. Arizona was looking for a superstar-like return for their second baseman, which didn’t happen. Instead, they opted to keep him around. On April 6, he gained 10-and-5 rights (10 years of MLB service time, last five with the same team), meaning he can no longer be traded without his consent.
Marte has played in 61 of the team’s first 65 games of the 2026 season, starting 59 of them.
Diamondbacks Manager Gives Strong Statement on Ketel Marte Amid Recent Rumors