The Diamondbacks sent in Ketel Marte in a pinch-hit appearance in the top of the ninth. With a runner on first with no outs, the team was looking to get one more baserunner to bring the potential tying run to the plate. His day lasted just two pitches before he collapsed on the ground.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!For the third time in nine days, the Diamondbacks’ starting second baseman and National League MVP candidate had to be removed from the game with a left ankle injury. Joc Pederson came off the bench to finish the at-bat, working a walk against Pete Fairbanks to bring the tying run to the plate. Adrian Del Castillo capitalized in the inning with a three-run home run to tie the game.
At this point, it’s abundantly clear that the ankle is affecting his ability to play games. Since leaving the field from the initial injury on August 10, he has only played in three games and had to be removed in two of them after one at-bat. The team now has to consider alternative options since the ankle is an issue more than a week after the initial injury, as Marte is too important a player to risk his health.
The Diamondbacks have just five healthy infielders right now, with Blaze Alexander as the only bench player of the group. Along with Kevin Newman, the two can cover nearly every spot on the infield.
Stay tuned for more updates.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
