Ketel Marte, the Arizona Diamondbacks' three-time All-Star second baseman, was placed on the restricted list on Monday night after failing to show up for the club's game at Fenway Park — a startling no-show that left teammates worried about his well-being and a contending club scrambling during a critical stretch of the pennant race.
The Diamondbacks announced the move mere minutes before first pitch against the Boston Red Sox, recalling infielder Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno to fill the sudden void. Manager Torey Lovullo told reporters after an 11-1 blowout loss that Marte was dealing with a personal matter, emphasizing the star was physically fine but that communication had been nearly nonexistent.
"Very little (communication) this morning, this afternoon, I just was doing my best to reach out to him and there was very little coming back," Lovullo said.
What We Know About Marte's Fenway Park No-Show
The sequence of events began days earlier, when Marte left Friday's game in Atlanta with left knee soreness. He sat out Saturday's contest, then returned Sunday, going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
By Sunday night, Marte had posted on his Instagram story that he had landed in Boston with the team. But Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro reported that Marte had been seen at the team hotel bar around 11 p.m. that night with a group of people. He never arrived at Fenway Park the following day.
AZCentral.com's Nick Piecoro reported at first pitch that Marte was a no-show, while general manager Mike Hazen told Piecoro that Marte was still believed to be in Boston as of Monday night — though the team was unsure when, or if, he would rejoin the club.
Lovullo acknowledged he sensed something was wrong Monday morning but trusted his second baseman would ultimately report. "We deal with a lot as baseball managers and coaches and teachers," Lovullo said. "Sometimes you get disappointed, sometimes you get let down, but we're going to figure out how to work through this."
The game itself compounded the chaos. Starter Mitch Bratt lasted just three innings, two outfield errors helped Boston build a 7-0 lead by the fifth, and by the eighth inning utility infielder Ildemaro Vargas was on the mound. Arizona finished with no strikeouts, and a lineup released just eight minutes before first pitch never found a rhythm.
Timeline: From Knee Soreness to the Restricted List
- Friday, Aug. 14: Marte exits a game in Atlanta with left knee soreness.
- Saturday, Aug. 15: Marte sits out while nursing the knee.
- Sunday, Aug. 16: Marte returns to the lineup (0-for-3, walk, run) and later posts on Instagram that he landed in Boston.
- Monday, Aug. 17: Marte never reports to Fenway Park. Arizona places him on the restricted list minutes before first pitch, recalls Jose Fernandez, and loses 11-1.
- Tuesday, Aug. 18: Reports emerge that Marte has been sent back to Phoenix for an MRI on his knee. Lovullo says he still has not heard from Marte.
Why Marte's Absence Could Decide the Season — and the Manager's Future
The timing could hardly be worse. Arizona entered Tuesday just one game back of the third National League Wild Card spot at 66-60, and Marte — despite an up-and-down season by his lofty standards — remains the team's leader in hits (117), home runs (21) and RBIs (67).
This is also the second consecutive season Marte has landed on the restricted list. In 2025, he was placed on the list out of the All-Star break after traveling to the Dominican Republic following a burglary at his home without alerting the team, and the resulting missed games became a public grievance within the organization.
Columnist Dan Bickley framed the stakes bluntly: Marte's actions could end up costing the manager who has defended him most. Lovullo, who has steered Arizona through a season riddled with injury and dysfunction, visibly choked up discussing Marte after Monday's loss — breaking down even though he knew the player was not in distress.
"We care for Ketel. Once we knew he was OK, I think everybody relaxed and started to focus on the game," Lovullo said.
The frustration has roots beyond this season. Marte asked out of the lineup to begin the final week of 2024 following a collapse in Milwaukee, and his 2025 absence prompted teammate Geraldo Perdomo to interrupt one of Lovullo's press conferences to defend Marte and ask the media to back off.
If the Diamondbacks miss the postseason for a third straight year, Bickley wrote, the organization could choose to keep Marte — who has five years and $87.5 million remaining on his contract, including an $11.5 million player option for 2031 — and part ways with Lovullo instead.
Inside the Clubhouse: Concern, Then Focus
Outfielder Corbin Carroll, the other face of the franchise, acknowledged the situation weighed on players Monday night. He said he reached out to Marte during the day, exchanging a few messages and inside jokes, though not about what was actually going on.
"I think in full transparency, I think some of the players were probably thinking about the guy just out of care for our teammate, care for our brother, knowing that a member of our family was hurting in some way," Carroll told Arizona Sports' Burns & Gambo.
Still, Carroll insisted the team remained professional. "I feel like we're all professionals... I think the coaches did a great job of making sure we were locked in as much as we could be. We were ready to go. But at the same time, there was some sloppy play, and at the end of the day, we got beat."
Where Things Stand Now
As of Tuesday, Marte had been sent back to Phoenix to undergo an MRI on his knee, a development reported by Piecoro and MLB.com's Steve Gilbert. Lovullo told reporters pregame Tuesday that he still had not heard directly from Marte, even as third baseman Nolan Arenado underwent an MRI for an intercostal issue in Boston and remained with the team.
Ildemaro Vargas has filled in at second base in Marte's place. The Diamondbacks finish their series in Boston on Wednesday before returning to Chase Field, where a homestand begins Friday against the Cincinnati Reds.
What Comes Next
Arizona's return home on Friday will be telling. With Marte's road trip apparently over and the club back in its own market, the questions are whether the second baseman rejoins the roster, how his knee responds to the MRI, and how the clubhouse absorbs yet another episode involving a player whose absences have become a recurring storyline.
For a team one game out of a playoff spot, every series matters. How quickly Marte returns — and whether the distraction lingers — could determine whether Arizona's late-summer push holds up.
The Bottom Line
- Ketel Marte was placed on the restricted list Monday after failing to report to Fenway Park.
- Manager Torey Lovullo called it a personal matter and said communication was nearly nonexistent.
- Marte left Friday's game with knee soreness and has since been sent to Arizona for an MRI.
- This is his second consecutive season on the restricted list.
- Arizona sits one game out of a playoff spot, with Marte still leading the team in hits, home runs and RBIs.
