Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Arizona Diamondbacks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
In a few weeks, it will be nine years since a raw, 23-year-old infielder, just coming off his sophomore season with the Seattle Mariners, was traded to the Diamondbacks. He came to Arizona along with Taijuan Walker, in exchange for Zac Curtis, Mitch Haniger and Jean
Segura. Since then, he has become the most regular player on the team – over the last four seasons, Ketel has averaged more than 137 games a year. He sits top three for Arizona in many career offensive categories, and was rewarded earlier this year with a $116.5 million contract extension, running through 2031.
And, yet… As we discussed earlier this week, when we asked the question, this year has had its share of static, with clubhouse rumblings and suggestions in the press that the team might want to trade Marte. There’s no doubt, given the long-term control, that the Diamondbacks would receive a boat-load back from any such deal, considering Marte was an All-Star in both 2024 and 2025. But you could make the case that it would simply be filling a hole, by creating another one. So we asked in the poll whether we would trade Ketel for a top tier starting pitcher, with long-term team control. And the result was…
Or put another way, 52% of respondents think the team should not trade Ketel Marte for a top of the rotation pitcher. Either way you put it, the overall result is more or less the same: fans are evenly split. There were some interesting and passionate comments in the poll thread, which reflected the divisive nature of the issue.
- D-Backsfan 74 – EVERYONE SAY NO SO KETEL MARTE CAN STAY WITH THE D-BACKS 4EVER AND WE CAN HAVE FUN WITH HIM AND CORBIN CARROLL!!!!
- BeTeaBaseball – In the real world, trading Ketel will not get his value back in return so I’m skeptical. I’m a no.
- Xerostomia – If Marte’s defense declines, he would have immense value as a DH/1B for 2027-2031 especially as he is a switch hitter. Dbacks are better off keeping Marte, Carroll, Perdomo and Moreno, and keep developing starters.
- Snake_Bitten – If they can get a decent starting pitcher for him, trade away!
- JustRonM – I’d be open to this, and not because of any drama. I like Ketel as a player but every year, I expect to start seeing him hit the cliff. I say do it if you can get a decent return.
I can see both points of view, to be honest. Marte is now 32, which is definitely on the downside of the aging curve. And if we don’t get an ace pitcher through trade, how will the D-backs compete? They haven’t shown any ability to develop starting pitchers, and the results in free-agency for the top starters have largely been underwhelming. On the other hand, I am always reluctant to trade a position player for a pitcher: the latter always seem like a more risky proposition. As BeTeaBaseball mentions, it’s not going to be easy to get appropriate value back for Ketel, especially given the overall uncertainty surrounding the game after next year.
Finding a solution to the many moving parts affecting roster construction is a challenge, and I don’t envy Mike Hazen the job of handling these complexities. We will, of course, be happy to sit on the sidelines and pass comment on the decisions as he makes them!
