Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte did not appear for Monday’s series opener against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, prompting the team to place him on the restricted list and raising fresh questions about his status heading into the stretch run.

What Happened in Boston

Marte was originally slated as the designated hitter, but the Diamondbacks delayed releasing their lineup by roughly 20 minutes on Tuesday, hoping he would show up before ultimately placing him on the restricted list. The team has cited a “personal matter” without disclosing further details. Arizona went on to lose the game 11-1.

What the Diamondbacks Are Saying

Manager Torey Lovullo addressed the situation directly but offered limited information. “All I know is that he’s dealing with a personal issue… he didn’t show up today, and he was put on the restricted list,” Lovullo said. General manager Mike Hazen added, “It was unfortunate that he wasn’t there tonight.” Teammate Geraldo Perdomo struck a supportive tone, saying, “I don’t know anything… we are a family, and we’re going to support everybody, no matter what.”

A Knee Issue Adds Another Layer

Marte’s absence comes amid an ongoing left knee issue. He was pulled from a game the previous Friday due to soreness, sat out Saturday, and returned to action Sunday before Monday’s no-show. He is reportedly heading back to Phoenix for an MRI to evaluate the knee, though the team has not confirmed results, and no timeline has been given for his return.

Why It Matters for Arizona

Marte, 32, has been a key contributor this season, posting a .760 OPS with 21 home runs for a Diamondbacks team (66-60) currently fighting for an NL Wild Card spot. His absence — for personal and physical reasons alike — comes at a critical stretch of the season, leaving Arizona to navigate the uncertainty without knowing when their star infielder will be back in the lineup.

Last summer, Martel’s home was robbed during the All-Star break.

The home belonging to Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte was robbed during MLB’s All-Star break on early Thursday morning.

Scottsdale-area authorities are investigating a “high-dollar residential burglary” that is believed to have happened Tuesday night, while Marte would have been away at the All-Star Game in Atlanta.

No one was home when the incident occurred, and “numerous personal items and jewelry” were taken. An investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.

The incident is just the latest in a series of recent robberies involving well-known athletes across the leagues, where players’ homes have been repeatedly targeted while they were traveling for events or away games. Among those impacted are NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, as well as basketball players Luka Doncic and Bobby Portis.

The FBI has warned sports leagues about crime organizations targeting professional athletes.

The NFL and NBA sent security warnings to teams about the threat of burglary groups targeting the homes of professional athletes. The NFL’s security team provided recommendations regarding the use of social media, including the avoidance of posting images of expensive items or commenting about hotel accommodations. The memo also spelled out methods of home security.

NBA teams received a similar memo from NBA Security, suggesting players install updated alarm systems with cameras, use locked safes either secured to the floor or installed by professionals and have protective guard services patrol their homes if they will be away for extended periods, among other safeguards.

A Seattle man was charged last month in connection with a string of burglaries at the homes of prominent active and retired professional athletes in the area.

In good news, the National League walked away from the All-Star Game with a win, during which Marte hit a two-run double in the first inning.

Earlier in June, the second baseman was also a victim of some pretty nasty trash talk from a fan who brought him to tears after invoking his late mother. But the D-Back handled it with class, and received a standing ovation at his first home game ever.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Ketel Marte have agreed to a six-year, $116.5 million extension, the Arizona Republic reported.

The deal includes $64 million in new money and carries a player option in 2031 for $11.5 million. With incentives, the deal can be worth up to $149.5 million.

Marte, who is coming off an All-Star season, is essential to the Diamondbacks’ success. He finished third in MVP voting in 2024, while batting .292 with 36 home runs and 95 RBIs.

Marte has been a Diamondback since 2017 after starting his career in Seattle.

The Diamondbacks are squarely contenders in the National League. Just two seasons removed from being National League Champions, the Diamondbacks have invested in retaining their star players and improving their roster to build on recent success.

In 2023, Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll signed an eight-year extension worth $111 million and signed All-Star pitcher Corbin Burnes in free agency for six years and $210 million. The Diamondbacks entered the season with a payroll of $184 million, the highest in franchise history.

After winning 89 games last season, the Diamondbacks have started their 2025 campaign 4-2. Six games into his season, Marte is batting .292 with zero home runs and one RBI.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will look to bounce back from a 2021 campaign that saw them finish tied for the worst record in MLB with the Baltimore Orioles (52-100) at a -214 run differential.

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They locked up their best player, utilityman Ketel Marte, with a five-year, $76 million contract. The 28-year-old hit .318 with 14 home runs last year, but he was limited to just 90 games because of a hamstring injury.

The deal begins in the 2023 season and has a team option for 2028 worth upward of $13 million. The team hopes to feature him prominently at second.

The team will open the 2022 campaign with a four-game homestand against the division-rival Padres, then welcome the Astros to town for two games. They’ll then head to New York for a series with the Mets. Madison Bumgarner figures to get the Opening Day start for the snakes.

Arizona will open its second half of the 2022 season on July 22 with three home games against the Nationals and then three against the Giants. The team’s first second-half road trip will be to Atlanta on July 29 then Cleveland for three.

MLB.com has the D’Backs’ farm system ranked as the fourth-best in MLB—up from ninth-ranked the past three seasons. Their minor league talent includes four top-100 prospects—including three in the top 23—in the game: OFs Alek Thomas, 18, and Corbin Carroll, 19; shortstop Jordan Lawlar, 23; and lefty pitcher Blake Walston, 99.

Although the recent past doesn’t dictate so, the future is bright in the desert.

Arizona Diamondbacks’ April schedule

Major League Baseball’s Opening Day will be here before you know it. Let’s break down each team heading into the 2021 season, following the 60-game 2020 campaign.

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The Arizona Diamondbacks missed the past three postseasons, despite having winning records in 2018 and 2019. In 2020, the D-backs placed 20th in ERA (4.84 ERA) and 29th in dingers (58 home runs). Arizona has one World Series title under their belt and has appeared in the playoffs a total of six times. The Diamondbacks will have their work cut out for them in the National League West if they want to make the playoffs in 2021.

Here are Arizona’s projected starters.

Arizona Diamondbacks Projected Batting Order:

1. OF Daulton Varsho
2. 2B Ketel Marte
3. OF David Peralta 
4. 3B Eduardo Escobar 
5. OF Kole Calhoun
6. 1B Christian Walker
7. C Carson Kelly
8. SS Nick Ahmed 
9. Pitcher

Arizona Diamondbacks Projected Pitching Staff:

• SP1 Zac Gallen
• SP2 Madison Bumgarner 
• SP3 Luke Weaver 
• SP4 Merrill Kelly 
• SP5 Caleb Smith 
• CL Joakim Soria 

Arizona Diamondbacks Team Outlook:

During the offseason, the Diamondbacks made it known that they are in rebuild mode. The D-Backs signed relievers Joakim Soria and Chris Devenski to improve their relief pitching depth. Even with these signings, the bullpen does not have any dominators and is likely to struggle when attempting to close out games.

Arizona’s starting pitching is pretty volatile. Zac Gallen is the team’s ace after posting a career 2.78 ERA through his first two seasons in the big leagues. However, Madison Bumgarner needs to make a comeback if Arizona has any chance to compete in 2021. He has not finished a season with a winning record since 2016. And in his first season with the D-Backs, Bumgarner went 1-4 with a dreadful 6.48 ERA last season. The backend of the rotation is still in the process of developing, and Arizona is in need of another ace.

When it comes to offense, Ketel Marte is the team’s lone star in the lineup. Considering how competitive the NL West is, Arizona will need to find another ace, a bullpen arm, and a powerful offensive core before they can flourish in the postseason. This rebuild could take a few years.

Arizona Diamondbacks Schedule:

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Baseball took things along a new route this year when deciding which players deserved All–Star honors roughly halfway through this MLB season, as new system involving elimination stages offered a new approach for fans wishing to vote in their favorite players. Alongside the new system, new faces highlight the starting roster this year, which the league released earlier this week. Although many players poised to start the mid–summer classic this year raised some eyebrows after their surprise electoral victories, multiple familiar faces fill in nicely for both the AL and NL’s rosters.

With that said, the 2019 American League MLB All–Star starters are as follows.

C –Gary Sanchez, New York Yankees

1B – Carlos Santana, Cleveland Indians

2B – DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees

SS – Jorge Polanco, Minnesota Twins

3B – Alex Bregman, Houston Astros

OF – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

OF – George Springer, Houston Astros

OF – Michael Brantley, Houston Astros

DH – Hunter Pence, Texas Rangers

Players such as Santana and Polanco likely felt the most joy once the news broke, as they achieve their first ever All–Star appearances. Pence’s selection surprised many throughout the league as most saw the 36–year old veteran’s advancement to the voting’s final round riding only on sympathy and respect for the aged star . On the contrary, Trout appears as the clear veteran amongst the group, as this marks his eighth All–Star appearance, adding to a resume far larger than his teammates. Brantley and Pence both follow behind Trout, however a with a large gap as the this year’s selection brings their All–Star game totals up to just four each.

The National League’s best fill out their roster with the following players.

C – Wilson Contreras, Chicago Cubs

1B – Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves

2B – Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

SS – Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs

3B – Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies

OF – Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers

OF – Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF – Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves

Acuna Jr. brings youth to this national league squad, as he’s the youngest selected All–Star and making his first appearance. Marte joins Acuna Jr. as another new–comer to the big game, also as perhaps its biggest surprise as few predicted such excellence from him during this season’s early stages. Arenado tops off the list, as his selection this year marks his fifth, poising to serve as the Colorado’s only starting representative at the game.

With All–Star game reserves still unannounced, other players snubbed from the honor to play amongst the league’s best still possess a chance to participate at Cleveland’s Progressive Field once the All–Star break rolls around. The All–Star game itself, as well as other events such as the Home Run Derby and Celebrity Softball Game begin Sunday, July 7.