Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo shares Ketel Marte meeting insights, teammates expect explanation

PHOENIX — Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo did not want to disclose many specifics about his meeting with Ketel Marte, Marte’s agent Charisse Espinosa-Dash and general manager Mike Hazen on Thursday, but he slightly peeled back the curtain on this bizarre chapter in Arizona.

Lovullo said the meeting covered a lot of ground, with both parties getting what they needed to off of their chest after Marte did not show up to Fenway Park on Monday nor tell anyone he was not coming.

Many of Marte’s teammates remain in the dark and expect some form of explanation, while Lovullo chose his words carefully about the situation.

“I think it may be a little bit of frustration built around the injury, and at some point, I’m hopeful he’ll be able to explain that directly to you guys,” Lovullo said before Friday’s game.

“There’s right ways to handle things and wrong ways to handle things. And I think the conclusion that was drawn up yesterday is that we could have been better. And Ketel could have been better, specifically, and admittedly so. … I don’t love the drama that follows this ballclub. I want to be a good baseball team, and we’ve got to figure this out.”

Marte was not at Chase Field on Friday. He was at Salt River Fields, Lovullo said, rehabbing after he went from the restricted list to the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation. Lovullo was hopeful Marte’s IL stint will be close to the minimum so he can return for the final month of action.

Marte had not communicated with Lovullo throughout this week, and the manager shared raw emotion during his teary-eyed postgame interview on Monday night.

Looking back at the week, Lovullo said he loves Marte but felt let down by someone who has played for him since 2017.

“I was breaking down because I want to make sure he’s OK,” Lovullo said. “I was clearly hurting. And once I saw what was unfolding, I became extremely frustrated, and I felt betrayed. And that’s a whole different type of pain and frustration. But I’m through that. I’m through that.”

Lovullo did not feel blameless, either.

Leading to the absence, Marte left Friday’s game in Atlanta with a sore knee, sat out on Saturday, returned on Sunday and was expected to be the designated hitter on Monday.

The D-backs were already down third baseman Nolan Arenado (intercostal strain) and needed Marte in the lineup that night. Arizona did not release a lineup until right before first pitch, waiting for Marte to walk in. President and CEO Derrick Hall said he stayed at the team hotel that night, hoping to talk to Marte, to no avail.

Catcher Gabriel Moreno said he has since spoken to Marte, who told him about his knee issue. Moreno did not want to press Marte but expressed confidence the second baseman will be back soon.

“Maybe there’s a connection there with me lacking communication and stepping out and understanding him in this situation,” Lovullo said. “And that might have added to the frustration a little bit. But overall, we can all be better in every single area. Ketel has been busting hard. He’s played a lot of baseball games this year. He’s gotten after it. And I think he got tired and got frustrated by a few things that I want to keep personal.”

Marte’s tendency to ask for days off is well documented, and he even credited a mutual understanding with Lovullo as a reason to sign an extension with Arizona in 2025. Marte took heat for his off days last summer, specifically when he went to the Dominican Republic after the All-Star Game without telling anyone. The D-backs listened to trade offers the following offseason but opted to stay the course. Marte was on pace to play his most games in a season since 2023 before this latest episode.

Will Ketel Marte address the Diamondbacks’ clubhouse?

As for what happens when Marte walks back into the clubhouse, Lovullo said he wanted to keep that part of their conversation private. There is an apology expected, however.

There is an understandable curiosity about what happened among Marte’s teammates who are fighting to make the postseason. Each of his teammates who spoke to reporters on Friday expressed a concern about Marte’s well-being, but there are questions that need to be answered for the group to fully move on.

“I’m just going to be fully transparent here: I honestly have no idea what’s going on,” Arenado told Arizona Sports. “I think he’s got to talk. I think he knows he’s going to probably have to face us and share what happened. I think that’d be really important for him to do so we can move past this. We’re focused on playing baseball, but I think he knows that there’s still something going on and we’ve got to know why.”

Reliever Kevin Ginkel, Marte’s teammate since 2019, added: “I think a lot of players are frustrated with how it just happened. But I think first and foremost it’s him getting his knee right and mentally being in a good place to where he can come back and help contribute. It’s gotten some national attention, and I think at the end of the day, it comes back to the guys in the clubhouse, the leaders that show up every day and do what they’re supposed to do and everybody else kind of feeding off them.”

Another perspective came from rookie Ryan Waldschmidt, who credited the club leaders for trying to keep the focus on baseball amid this situation.

“I don’t know what’s going on with whatever is going on in his life,” Waldschmidt said. “I’m always open to hearing whatever someone’s got to say. If I speak for myself, I’m ready to have him back whenever.”

At least there is a level of clarity with Marte off the restricted list and with a tangible path to playing again, but how his clubhouse address is received will say something about the direction of the season.

As for the rest of the group, the Diamondbacks have a weekend series against the Cincinnati Reds to focus on winning.

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