Torey Lovullo praises Ketel Marte’s leadership on MLB Central
Jun 20, 2019, 1:48 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher JD Hammer during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 7-4. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Setting a career high in home runs and batting a slash line of .298/.350/.918 just 75 games into the season, Ketel Marte is starting to turn heads in national baseball circles.
In Marte’s third year with the Arizona Diamondbacks, what’s impressed his manager Torey Lovullo the most about the 25-year-old has been his leadership.
“Ketel is the leader right now of this ball club in a lot of different areas,” Lovullo said on The MLB Network’s morning show, MLB Central.
Lovullo praised Marte’s versatility and ability to change positions this offseason, splitting time with 45 games at second base and 44 at center field.
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The manager said that earlier in the year he worried that the defensive transition between the two positions would affect Marte’s game at the plate.
So far it hasn’t.
“He’s done such a good job of managing his at-bats, he’s hitting for power, he’s hitting for average, he’s driving in runs, he’s been an offensive catalyst for us all season long,” Lovullo said.
Marte currently ranks third in voting for the All-Star team as a second baseman.
“I just hope he gets strong consideration to make that All-Star team because he’s been one of our best players and one of the best in the league,” Lovullo said.
Marte ranks first in the MLB among second baseman with 50 RBI, second in home runs with 20 and second in runs scored with 50.
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