Complete timeline of strange Ketel Marte saga, from bizarre Fenway no-show to landing on injured list originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One way or another, it doesn't appear likely that Ketel Marte will be a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks beyond the rest of the 2026 season.
As one of the most talented all-around players in baseball, Marte has shined for the Diamondbacks since 2017, earning three All-Star selections and claiming NLCS MVP during the club's 2023 run to the World Series. But lately, tensions have been rising between Marte and his franchise.
Following a bizarre absence from Fenway Park despite being in the team's lineup for that night's game, conflicting reports have created a confusing situation surrounding Marte, from a potential injury to a statement from his agent about a "personal matter." Marte was initially placed on the restricted list before being reinstated and placed on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation following an in-person meeting with the team.
Here's what's known about Marte's situation in Arizona, breaking down a timeline since his absence from the Diamondbacks.
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Ketel Marte timeline of troubleMarte, who signed a six-year extension with the Diamondbacks in April 2025, appeared in 118 games for Arizona this season before his recent troubles with the team. With the Diamondbacks fighting for an NL Wild Card spot, he's remained one of their key contributors.
On Monday, however, a confusing saga began between Marte and the Diamondbacks.
Initial no-showWithin an hour before the Diamondbacks' matchup on the road against the Red Sox on Monday, they found out one of their best players wouldn't be available. Marte didn't show for the game.
Reports indicated that the star second baseman did travel with the team to Boston but did not show up to the stadium. The Diamondbacks placed him on the restricted list before first pitch, removing him from their lineup, which was released late.
Lovullo commentsAfter an 11-1 loss in Monday's game, manager Torey Lovullo spoke to reporters about Marte's absence, saying he didn't have much information outside of Marte dealing with a "personal issue."
“It’s been a crazy day. All I know is that he’s dealing with a personal issue, but we’re trying to figure that out. He didn’t show up today and was put on the restricted list," Lovullo said. "That’s as much as I know right now. I’m sure in time we’ll start to uncover some information. I knew that there was something going on today... but I still believed he was gonna be here. He just didn’t show up."
When he was asked if there had been any contact with Marte throughout the day on Monday, Lovullo said, “Very little. This morning, this afternoon. I was doing my best to reach out to him. There was very little coming back.”
Lovullo was also emotional, saying Marte was fine, but "I love him and I care for him."
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
After his bizarre, unexplained absence from Arizona's game, John Gambadoro reported that Marte was seen at the bar of the team's Boston hotel after the game Monday night.
"Ketel Marte was seen at the team hotel bar with a group of people around 11 pm last night," Gambadoro wrote on X. "So definitely was seen at the hotel late last night. I have covered sports in this market for 30 years- not sure I have seen anything quite as bizarre as this."
Monday's absence was also not the first time Marte has had an incident where he left the team. In 2025, following the All-Star break, he missed three games while traveling home to the Dominican Republic. Marte's home in Scottsdale, Arizona, had reportedly been robbed on the night of the All-Star Game, which he played in.
Reports indicated at that time that Marte's absence frustrated his teammates, and he later apologized, saying he was "in a bad spot" after the reported burglary. Arizona Sports released obtained 911 audio and surveillance footage from the 2025 robbery, a case that reportedly remains open, on Thursday.
Conflicting reports on injuryOn Tuesday, the Marte situation took a turn when reports began indicating he was dealing with a knee injury, reportedly set to undergo an MRI on his left knee in Phoenix. The Arizona Republic's Nick Piecoro reported that Marte was returning to Arizona for the MRI.
Marte had been removed from a game the prior Friday due to left knee soreness, then didn't play the following day. However, he did play for the Diamondbacks on the Sunday before his absence Monday, meaning the team let him take the field after the initial injury issue.
But there still remained little clarity over why Marte was absent from Monday's game — an injury, or the personal matter. His agent, Charisse Espinosa-Dash, issued a statement to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi on Wednesday.
“He is currently managing a personal matter and will be undergoing an MRI on his knee tomorrow," the statement said. "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, agent for Ketel Marte, shared the following update with me today: “He is 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,…
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 19, 2026Owner comments on radio showOn Thursday, it remained clear that even Diamondbacks officials didn't know what was happening with Marte.
Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall spoke with Arizona Sports Radio hosts Dan Bickley and Vince Marotta, saying he was still unsure about the situation.
“It’s still a complete mystery. It’s just bizarre. I was on the road with the team, I can tell you on Sunday night at the hotel in Boston, he appeared just fine," Hall said. "And then [Marte] was just a no-show, as you know. Just bizarre, and we’ve tried to get answers."
"Still a complete mystery. It’s just bizarre."
Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall tells @Bickley_Marotta the team still hasn’t learned the reason why Ketel Marte didn’t appear at Fenway Park on Monday.
Hall's interview is presented by Freeway Chevrolet. pic.twitter.com/FKi0THvSCf
On Thursday, Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen, manager Torey Lovullo, Marte and his agent all met to discuss the situation, per MLB.com.
"I'm not gonna get into specifics," Hazen said, per MLB.com. "I feel like the conversation and meeting was productive. We discussed the last week. That, obviously, I'm not going to get into. He'll talk to his teammates at some point and we'll go from there."
As part of that meeting, however, it appeared that the Diamondbacks settled upon Marte's injury being the reason for his absence. Marte's MRI reportedly showed left knee inflammation, and he was placed on the 10-day IL, reinstated from the restricted list for the move to be made.
Marte also received an injection for left knee inflammation, per MLB.com
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/bftycz3Nfy
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 21, 2026MORE: The 12 most disappointing storylines of the 2026 MLB season
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