D-backs’ Ketel Marte exits game vs. Giants with groin cramp

Jun 21, 2019, 8:08 PM | Updated: 11:40 pm

Ketel Marte #4 of the Arizona Diamondbacks hits a triple against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on June 21, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

BY MATT LAYMAN

Arizona Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a very legitimate All-Star candidate in Ketel Marte, but one of their top offensive performers may be injured.

Marte singled home Jarrod Dyson in the bottom of the third inning on Friday and appeared to be hopping and favoring one leg as he ran down the line.

Manager Torey Lovullo put infielder Ildemaro Vargas in as a pinch runner for Marte, ending the latter’s day. The team said Marte was removed with a left groin cramp, and Lovullo said he believed it would merely be a day-to-day situation.

“I have been looking to give him a day off, so tomorrow will probably be that day just to make sure we can work him through that and get him back on his feet,” Lovullo said. “He’s been playing a lot of baseball. He’s one of the best players in the National League and I’ve found it hard to give him time off, especially what we’re grinding through right now.

“He felt it coming out of the box. It was nothing that grabbed him and put him down on the ground. He felt like it was just some tightening. We ask our guys to speak up and he did a good job of doing that.”

Any significant time missed for Marte would be a major loss for the D-backs, who already are coming off of being swept by the division-rival Rockies and entered Friday at an even 38-38, 13 games out of first place in the NL West and 2.5 games back of a Wild Card spot.

Uh oh. Ketel Marte comes up limping after an RBI single.

He has come out of the game and is replaced by Ildemaro Vargas. pic.twitter.com/DETLShpbQW

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) June 22, 2019

Coming into the game, Marte was hitting .205 with a whopping 20 home runs, 17 doubles, three triples, 50 RBI and a .932 OPS.

Marte’s home runs, RBI, slugging percentage, triples and hits all rank 12th or better in the National League.

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San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, middle, makes an error on a grounder hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas as Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson (1) runs safely to second base and Giants second baseman Joe Panik (12) watgches during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. The Giants won 11-5. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Will Smith, right, slaps hands with catcher Stephen Vogt after the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. The Giants won 11-5. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Alex Dickerson, right, celebrates his two-run triple against the Arizona Diamondbacks with third base coach Ron Wotus during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski, right, celebrates with Joe Panik after scoring against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as Diamondbacks relief pitcher Matt Andriese, rear, walks back to the mound during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Mike Yastrzemski, left, scores a run as he slides around Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed (13) celebrates his two-run home run with Christian Walker (53) as San Francisco Giants catcher Stephen Vogt, right, pauses at home plate during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

A fan, left, celebrates after making a catch on a two-run home run by Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed as San Francisco Giants right fielder Mike Yastrzemski, right, runs out of room during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Taylor Clarke (45) pauses on the mound after giving up a grand slam to San Francisco Giants' Alex Dickerson, left, during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Taylor Clarke pauses on the mound during the third inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Alex Dickerson, middle, celebrates his grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks with hitting coach Alonzo Powell, left, and Stephen Vogt, right, during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy (15) congratulates Kevin Pillar, left, on a two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Alex Dickerson, right, celebrates his grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Kevin Pillar (1) and Brandon Belt, second from left, during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants' Alex Dickerson watches the flight of his grand slam against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, left, dives safely back into third base with a triple as San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, right, applies a late tag during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Adam Jones (10) hits San Francisco Giants catcher Stephen Vogt, right, on the helmet with his bat during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Taylor Clarke throws against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, June 21, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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