‘They put up with it’: Bob Nightengale doesn’t see Ketel Marte’s behavior changing

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale says the Arizona Diamondbacks have put up with Ketel Marte’s lackadaisical approach thus far, so why would they stop now?

Nightengale on Sunday reported Marte continues to frustrate segments of the D-backs organization for taking days off, and Monday he told Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke that manager Torey Lovullo has had to convince the second baseman to play on multiple occasions.

“(The Diamondbacks) are putting up with it, but it’s irritating,” Nightengale said. “It just sets a real bad example. There’s just been so many examples already this year where Torey Lovullo has said, ‘Yeah, we had to talk him into playing today.’ You shouldn’t have to talk anyone into playing. You should want to play.”

Marte is in his 10th season with Arizona. He’s slashed .281/.354/.490 with the D-backs across 1,115 games, made the All-Star Game three times, is a two-time Silver Slugger and finished top-four in MVP voting twice.

However, his perceived lack of dedication to the game has reportedly ruffled some feathers over the last couple years.

“Guys see it, and they say, ‘Well, if you’re gonna let this guy get away with it, you better not jump on me if I don’t run out a ground ball or if I don’t play against a star pitcher.’ You just don’t sit against Shohei Ohtani or a star pitcher,” Nightengale said of Marte not playing against Los Angeles on June 3. “It’s like back in the day when guys would sit out against Randy Johnson (or) Nolan Ryan.

“Young guys look up to their leaders, and right now, he’s an established veteran guy. So if you’re not gonna discipline him, you better not discipline anybody else either.”

Nightengale added that he believes the reason Arizona hasn’t stopped it is due to the feared reaction.

 

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“I just think they put up with it. I mean, they have so far. So why stop now? I don’t see anything changing,” Nightengale said. “They should have stopped it by now. Particularly last year, when he took a vacation after the All-Star break and missed a couple games.

“I know they docked his pay. But you got to jump on him. I don’t think they jump on him because they’re afraid of sending him in a downward spiral and if he doesn’t recover from it as far as emotionally or something like that. They’re the ones who allowed it, so he’s gonna keep on doing it.”

Nightengale noted Marte is a prominent part of the D-backs lineup, one that’s a “big” factor.

After playing in 150 games in 2023, the three-time All-Star has played in 136 and 126 games the last two seasons.

He’s been arguably the best second baseman in the National League during that stretch but Nightengale said talent doesn’t mean much if it’s on the bench.

“He’s a big part of that offense. You need a guy like Marte to be in that lineup to win,” Nightengale said. “He’s that big of factor, obviously a heck of a talent, but the talent doesn’t do you any good if you’re sitting on the bench.”

The MLB insider also shared a story from current Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman.

“When Freddie Freeman was playing for Atlanta … he said there’d be a guy in the trainer’s room and he wouldn’t be in the starting lineup and Freddie would say, ‘Oh, you’re going on the injured list.’ He’d say, ‘No, no, I’m just taking the day off.’ (Freddie) goes, ‘Either you play, or you go on the IL right now.’ That’s the way it was,” Nightengale said. “You can’t just sit out when you feel like it sort of thing.”

In terms of what Arizona can do going forward, Nightengale said he doesn’t expect anything to change. However, he said Marte could still be traded, if a it’s a place he wants to go to.

Marte’s 10-and-5 rights (10 years in the MLB, five on the same team) in his contract kicked in on April 3, but Nightengale said plenty of players have waived those rights for more money or an ideal destination.

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