BOSTON — The pending storyline ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ game against the Boston Red Sox suddenly shifted away from the matchup itself and toward where second baseman Ketel Marte was.
Aug 11, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte (4) throws across the infield in the ninth inning of a game against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images
Just under an hour before first pitch, the club placed the All-Star on the restricted list after he did not show up at Fenway Park. Jose Fernandez was already in the city to be placed on the roster in case of a Nolan Arenado injury stint, so he slid into Marte’s roster spot.
However, with little information available, fans grew restless about where he could have gone. Some were hoping manager Torey Lovullo would have some answers postgame, but even he’s not sure where Marte is and was emotional addressing the situation.
“All I know is he’s dealing with a personal issue,” he said. “We’re trying to figure that out. And he didn’t show up today and he was put on the restricted list. That’s as much as I know right now.”
Torey Lovullo appeared to get emotional during the postgame when answering questions about Ketel Marte
He made clear Ketel is ok, but all he knows at this moment is he is dealing with a personal matter pic.twitter.com/nVCFVUgxVG
— Logan🌵 (@phxlogan) August 18, 2026
The Arizona manager later said he knew Marte might not show up in the morning, but wanted to keep the specifics private, according to MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert.
Lovullo said he’s not sure if Marte is even in Boston anymore, although the belief within the organization is that he’s at the team hotel. Needless to say, the situation has definitely hit morale among the Diamondbacks.
Jun 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
After a major series win over the weekend against the Atlanta Braves, Monday’s game and Marte’s absence proved to be a complete reversal of what they built over the last three games — losing in blowout fashion to Boston 11-1.
Now, the hope is that Marte will indeed still be in the city and things can get sorted out.
Jul 6, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates in the dugout after scoring in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
This isn’t the first time the All-Star has been placed on the restricted list. Marte had previously been placed on the list last summer after the All-Star break after not reporting to the team before the first series following the break.
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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde
