Ketel Marte’s case is certainly a curious one, and the Arizona Diamondbacks have experienced a roller-coaster ride with the switch-hitter. He was a no-show on Monday, and the club’s front office had no idea what was going on with the player. In fact, the manager even voiced feeling “betrayed,” which he described as a “whole different type of pain and frustration.” But this was before Ketel Marte came under the microscope again.

This time, reports are linking him to a casino. After the Arizona Diamondbacks placed him on the 10-day IL, Marte was spotted inside a casino. As photographs of him spread on social media, an MLB insider has spoken up about the importance of respecting a player’s privacy.

“What a baseball player does off the field, unless it’s a serious crime, shouldn’t be any sports journalist’s business. Personally, I’m interested in what the player does on the field,” Mike Rodriguez opined on X while defending the D’backs star.

“If Ketel Marte went to a casino, that’s his private life. It’s not a crime, and MLB doesn’t punish any player just for going to a casino. Learn to respect the personal lives of athletes and to focus on what really matters: their performance on the field.”

Earlier this week, Ketel Marte made headlines when he did not show up at Fenway Park without any prior notice. He left his team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, in the dark as they waited 15 minutes until first pitch before announcing a replacement on Monday. The Diamondbacks suffered an 11-1 loss without their star player against the Boston Red Sox. They also lost the following matchup 9-4, while Marte’s disappearance remained unexplained until Wednesday. The D’backs CEO Derrick Hall dubbed the situation “bizarre.”

Meanwhile, the D’backs placed Marte on the restricted list. However, Marte’s agent revealed in a statement that the player was dealing with some personal issues and knee problems. Marte had left Boston and gone back to Phoenix, as he needed an MRI to evaluate his knee.

“Currently managing a personal matter and will be undergoing an MRI on his knee tomorrow. Ketel appreciates the unwavering support from fans, teammates, the Diamondbacks organization, and Torey Lovullo during this time. He remains optimistic about his recovery and looks forward to returning to the field to contribute to the team as soon as possible,” Charisse Espinosa-Dash, Marte’s agent, shared a statement with MLB Network insider Jon Paul Morosi on Wednesday.

Once the Diamondbacks had a clear understanding of Marte’s situation following GM Mike Hazen’s meeting, the team transferred him from the restricted list. Marte has now landed on the 10-day IL due to left knee inflammation. He is currently under treatment at the Diamondbacks’ Spring Training facility in Salt River Fields.

Last season, Marte also disappeared similarly right after the All-Star break. His unexplained absence during a crucial series reportedly caused clubhouse tension. However, Marte later revealed that his house was broken into and robbed.  Multiple personal items were reportedly missing, alongside jewelry worth around $400,000. Marte had apologized for his unannounced disappearance at the time.

As he undergoes treatment, Marte was photographed at the Talking Stick Casino in Scottsdale on Friday evening. At the time, the D’backs were playing against the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field. Eventually, Arizona won the game 9-0. While players on the injured list can join the team in the dugout, it is not mandatory. So, Marte was free to spend his time as he pleased after completing his sessions in Salt River Fields.

MLB does not stop a player from visiting a casino, and Marte was not doing anything illegal either. He did not violate any rules or team policies. So, there is technically no need for criticism or backlash over an evening Marte spent enjoying in a casino.

But the optics, especially after the recent incidents surrounding him? That’s another story altogether, and manager Torey Lovullo has shared his own two cents about the situation.

Torey Lovullo on Ketel Marte’s casino visit

Ketel Marte has established himself as one of the key lineup pieces for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He signed a six-year, $116.5 million contract extension with the Diamondbacks in April 2025. Arizona’s investment paid off, as Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 with 28 home runs, 72 RBIs, a 145 wRC+, and 4.4 WAR. However, he has developed a tendency to get involved in unwarranted drama. The casino episode was his latest.

As the Diamondbacks shut down the Reds on Friday, manager Torey Lovullo was asked for his opinion on Marte’s casino visit. The manager said that Marte can spend his free time however he pleases, as long as he does not neglect his sessions at the Spring Training facility. He also called Marte “a grown man.”

The reporters also asked him about the optics of the situation, but the manager declined to answer the question immediately; he asked for time to think it through, per MLB.com.

“It’s not a choice I would make,” Lovullo told MLB.com, providing his answer pregame on Saturday.

“It was not, I’m sure, a choice a lot of people in this room would make. But Ketel’s a grown man, and he can make his own decisions. And he did not break any rules. He was fully able to go there and do what he wanted to do.”

The D’backs lost 11-5 on Saturday and will play the Reds again on Sunday, trying to secure the series.