Derrick Hall: Ketel Marte has left Diamondbacks in dark about absence as of Thursday morning

It’s been nearly three full days since Ketel Marte didn’t show up for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Monday afternoon game against the Boston Red Sox.

As of Thursday morning, the D-backs have had minimal communication and don’t know the reason why the second baseman didn’t appear at Fenway Park, according to team president and CEO Derrick Hall.

“Still a complete mystery. It’s just bizarre,” Hall told Bickley & Marotta, adding little more than general manager Mike Hazen when he joined Wolf & Luke a day prior.

Marte’s absence is due to personal matters, according to a statement from his agent.

The second baseman has been asked to return to Phoenix for an MRI on a knee and to meet with general manager Mike Hazen. Those are both expected to happen later Thursday.

“Any player who has a responsibility to be at the ballpark needs to be there, unless it’s been prearranged,” Hall said. “If a player’s hurt, well,  then they need to go in and get treatment. We’re not sure what it is. That’s why we want to hear what the results of the MRI are right away. Still, we need to know if you were feeling sore, if you were hurting, why didn’t you go in and get treatment? That’s what you do.

“Personally, I’m disappointed that a player didn’t show up and go where he was supposed to. But I can get past it if I can hear a reason why. We’re all sort of sparing judgment because we don’t know yet what the explanation is.”

The expected MRI comes after the star second baseman left a game against the Atlanta Braves on Friday with a knee issue. He was held out of action Saturday but returned Sunday before the team traveled to Boston later that day.

Hall was with the team on the road trip.

“I could tell you Sunday at the hotel in Boston, he appeared just fine — and then was just a no-show. Just bizarre,” Hall said Thursday.

“Quite honestly, I didn’t even go to the game Monday night (when Marte didn’t show up). We’ve got a son and his wife who lived in Boston. I sent them and my wife to the game, and I stayed back at the hotel speaking with Mike frequently and letting Ketel know I was there if he wanted to talk.”

Hall said he doesn’t believe Marte has played his last game as a Diamondback.

The president and CEO said he hopes Marte can return, because the D-backs are a better team with him as they chase a Wild Card spot. While it’s been a relatively down year for the three-time All-Star, Marte is hitting .249 this year with a team-leading 117 hits, 21 home runs and 67 RBIs.

While his day-off requests in the past two seasons have been under the microscope, he is fourth on the team in games played and first in at-bats this season.

But this week added to the trend of no-showing in key moments, as Marte missed time out of the All-Star break in 2025 when he stayed in the Dominican Republic and lacked communication about his plans with Arizona.

“It’s not quite what happened last year, but it’s similar,” Hall said. “It was a no-show after the All-Star break, so there is a bit of history there. We’re going to have to get explanations from him and apologies from him. Hopefully we can pick up the pieces and move on and turn the page.

“Hoping that we can get some answers and we can see him back on the field here sometime soon.”

Related

Diamondbacks release Andrew Hoffmann, Philip Abner claimed by GiantsWelcome back, Arenado: Diamondbacks cap a week of drama with extra-inning win over Red SoxExclusive: Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen to meet with Ketel Marte with hope he returnsNolan Arenado back in Diamondbacks’ lineup Wednesday vs. Red SoxKetel Marte’s agent: 2B wants to return ‘soon as possible,’ calls D-backs’ support ‘unwavering’Merrill Kelly continues concerning trend, Diamondbacks lose series in Boston with no Marte