Ketel Marte said he had no message for Diamondbacks fans, but they did

PHOENIX — Boos from the Chase Field crowd overpowered the cheers when Ketel Marte stepped up to the plate on Monday, his first at-bat since his Boston no-show two weeks ago.

Before the game, Marte faced questions from the media, and when asked whether he had a message for Diamondbacks fans, Marte shook his head. Paying more attention to addressing his teammates, he neglected the fanbase that has been cheering him on for 10 years, essentially declining to swing at a meatball.

During the starting lineup introductions, Marte’s name drew a mixture of cheers and boos with the boos coming in louder.

The ballpark was more filled in for the second inning when Marte came up to bat, and more D-backs fans let him hear their disapproval.

 

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Certainly, there was a number of Phillies fans in attendance who contributed. Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs, who infamously injured Marte with a slide at second base in 2024, received louder cheers from fans sitting by the visitor’s dugout after a single than boos from other areas of the ballpark.

But the loudest Chase Field got during the early innings was Marte’s at-bat, and those boos picked back up when he grounded out to first base.

It was something manager Torey Lovullo was concerned about.

“I know that he loves the fans,” Lovullo said. “I know that he picks up on their energy. He pays attention to what the fans say and do in love and support of him. Maybe he didn’t answer the question the way he would have if he had a chance to really sit down and say what he wanted to say. But I know he loves his fans.

“He’s an emotional kid. He’s a very emotional kid. And I think you guys are slowly understanding that. I’ve known him for 10 years now.”

Marte’s second plate appearance came directly after a Gabriel Moreno RBI double, when the crowd was already on its feet and clapping. The reaction was more of a pronounced mixture of cheers and boos. There were “Let’s go D-backs” chants going on during the at-bat. With two outs and Moreno on second, Marte flew out to right field.

There are fans whose impression of Marte will be tarnished for good, but the most surefire way to get the cheers to outweigh the boos going forward is by Marte playing well and helping this D-backs team push for the playoffs.

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