Two weeks after he went AWOL against the Boston Red Sox, Ketel Marte has returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lineup. On Monday, his responsibilities extended beyond the field, as Marte owed his teammates an apology and had to smooth things over in the clubhouse. He also spoke to the media, attempting to explain what happened in Boston.
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“It was a moment of frustration,” Marte said via translator Alex Arpiza, per PHNX Diamondbacks on X. “I’m the type of person that when something’s going on in my life, I don’t like to talk about it. That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I couldn’t react. No one made the decision for me; I’m the one who made the decision not to show up.”
Despite being included in the lineup, Ketel Marte was a no-show on August 17 without any prior notice. When Marte did not show up until 15 minutes before first pitch, the team scratched him. They also put Marte on the restricted list. The Diamondbacks’ front office did not even know whether Marte was still in Boston.
A statement from his agent finally revealed the whereabouts of Marte. He left Boston with a knee injury and returned to Phoenix. He even underwent MRI scans to get a further diagnosis. Following these developments, the D-Backs placed him on the injured list. While rehabbing, Marte was also photographed inside a casino, which paved the way for another round of controversy. But he had left the setbacks behind, and Monday marked the first time he played in a game since August 16.
As Marte took the field against the Philadelphia Phillies’ Aaron Nola for his first at-bat, home fans welcomed him with thunderous boos. They booed Marte in each of his at-bats, the intensity decreasing when he hit a single in the ninth. Marte went 1-for-3 and issued a walk.
“I really didn’t expect that kind of reaction from fans,” Marte reportedly said. “I felt a little strange in my first at-bat, but that’s hopefully going to go away. … The boos were a little less (in my last at-bat).”
After the 2-1 loss to the Phillies, the Diamondbacks’ second baseman spoke about his teammates accepting his apology.
“I stood in front of them and apologized for what happened, as a man,” Marte said via a Spanish interpreter, per Arizona Sports. “I think everyone accepted my apologies. I hope that I keep getting along well with my teammates and help them. The most important thing is that I stay healthy and help the team win.”
The 32-year-old reportedly did not go for a long-winded apology. He kept it short and straight to the point, which Torey Lovullo appreciated. Teammate and starter Brandon Pfaadt also took Marte’s words positively.
“It was good,” Pfaadt said. “Obviously, there are mixed feelings in the room, but for me, I’m glad to have him back.”
Marte is one of the key players in the D-backs lineup, batting .250 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs this season. Despite his lapses, Arizona would look forward to having him in the lineup regularly.