PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte was back in the starting lineup for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday and greeted with a chours of boos by the home crowd, two weeks after the three-time All-Star's unexpected no-show before a game in Boston left the team scrambling.
The exact reasons for his head-scratching absence are still a little vague.
Marte addressed the media before Monday night's game against the Philadelphia Phillies and apologized to manager Torey
Lovullo for the way he handled the situation, which has turned into a sizable distraction as the Diamondbacks attempt to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023.
“In that instance, I failed (Lovullo) by not showing up,” Marte said through an interpreter. “That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I just couldn't react. No one made the decision for me. I'm the one who made the decision to not show up.”
Marte was initially put on the restricted list after failing to show up for the game in Boston, but then moved to the 10-day injured list with mild inflammation in his left knee. The D-backs went 7-6 during his absence.
The 32-year-old Marte was the designated hitter and batted cleanup Monday night. When he came to the plate in the bottom of the second inning, he was greeted by mostly jeers from the Chase Field crowd, though some of those were from Phillies fans eager to pile on.
The boos continued after Marte grounded out to first base.
Marte should restore some punch to an inconsistent lineup. Arizona held a half-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild card as it opened an important three-game series against the Phillies.
Marte was hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs this season. He said he would address his teammates before Monday's game.
“I’m going to stand up in front of them and ask for forgiveness,” Marte said. “We’re human — we all commit mistakes.”
Marte's teammates have been mostly supportive of the second baseman, though there has been some frustration about the timing of his absence, which has come in the middle of a postseason push.
There have also been concerns about how he's handled the situation. While the Diamondbacks were in the middle of a 9-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 21, there were pictures circulating on social media showing him at a casino.
Marte didn't apologize for the casino trip and also said he had no message for Diamondbacks fans.
“I've been injured before,” Marte said. “Those are things I do in my personal time.”
This wasn’t the first time Marte had a strange disappearance.
Last season, he went on the restricted list when his home in Arizona was broken into during the All-Star break. He missed three games after flying back to his home in the Dominican Republic and later apologized for his absence.
Lovullo has repeatedly defended Marte over their 10-year relationship, despite admitting he felt “betrayed” by the second baseman's actions in Boston.
“It's something that's a work in progress,” Lovullo said. "I think he told you he's human, he's not perfect. We all have bad moments and bad days — things we regret. For him to come up here and tell you that, I know it wasn't easy.
“This is as much progress as I've seen him make.”
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