Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte to address teammates at Chase Field ahead of Phillies series

Ketel Marte plans to address his Arizona Diamondbacks teammates Monday afternoon when he arrives at Chase Field ahead of his expected return to the ballclub, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reports.

The three-time All-Star is eligible to come off the injured list on Monday ahead of a critical three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Diamondbacks (73-65) enter the series a half game up on the San Diego Padres (72-65) for the third and final National League Wild Card spot.

azcentral’s Nick Piecoro reported on Sunday that a group of veteran D-backs players, which consisted of Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo, Nolan Arenado, Eduardo Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly, had a 45-minute meeting about Marte with “D-backs officials,” which included general manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo, last weekend at Chase Field. The group concluded they were ready to welcome Marte back to the team.

Marte was placed on the 10-day injured list on Aug. 20 due to left knee inflammation. The move came after Marte did not show up to Fenway Park for the D-backs’ game against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 17 and did not tell Lovullo or the team he would be absent. He was placed on the restricted list, which is for players who are not playing for personal, legal or other non-baseball reasons.

After missing all three games in the Red Sox series, Marte, his agent Charisse Espinosa-Dash, Hazen and Lovullo met at Salt River Fields on Aug. 20 and had a “productive conversation,” according to Gambadoro.

Marte had an MRI on his knee before he was seen at Talking Stick Resort’s casino on Aug. 21. This was the same night the D-backs were playing a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field.

Lovullo and D-backs CEO and president Derrick Hall have both since said his appearance at the casino was not a good look.

Lovullo told MLB Network Radio on Friday he expects Marte to be back in the lineup if healthy, and it would be his job to “smooth things over” upon his return.

“It will be my job to make sure when Ketel gets back in that clubhouse it’s smoothed over, and then we get to playing baseball as soon as possible,” Lovullo said.

“If he’s healthy and strong and feeling good and timed up at the plate, we would love to reinsert him back in this lineup. “He’s one of the best players in the National League. He has been and will continue to be a very important piece of this lineup.”

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