A long week got longer for the Arizona Diamondbacks and their embattled All-Star second baseman, Ketel Marte. As the Dbacks beat the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, Aug. 21, photos of Marte at a local casino circulated on social media. Manager Torey Lovullo was asked about it after the game.
"When you're turned loose from the medical team, you're allowed to go home and have a meeting with your family," Lovullo said of Marte. He's free to do whatever he wants, that's how I look at it. As long as he wakes up (Saturday) morning and posts, and gets his work done at Salt River (Fields) — which I am certain he will — that's all that matters to me right now." Under normal circumstances, the poor optics of Marte's visit to Talking Stick Resort might not rise to the occasion of a postgame press conference.
Marte's last week has been anything but normal. The saga began to unfold Monday, Aug. 17, when Marte was a no-show to the Diamondbacks' game at Fenway Park. He was placed on the restricted list minute before the game's first pitch.
More news: Diamondbacks President Takes Ketel Marte Beef Public Marte remained on the restricted list — effectively an unpaid suspension — while the Diamondbacks played the Boston Red Sox. In the meantime, the three-time All-Star flew back to Phoenix to undergo an MRI on his left knee. Behind the scenes, communication between Marte and the team — specifically Lovullo and general manager Mike Hazen — was absent.
More news: Diamondbacks’ Latest Ketel Marte Saga Remains Unresolved That changed Thursday, when Marte was transferred to the 10-day injured list. But he had yet to apologize to his teammates when Lovullo told reporters that he felt "betrayed" by the star's lack of communication throughout the week. That’s a whole different type of pain and frustration.” Lovullo said he finally had a chance Friday to speak at length with Marte and gain an understanding of what happened.
Admittedly handled it wrong. … When you’re hurt, you come in, and get treatment. I think he failed to do that. So there was a little lack of communication that led to this and amplified it.
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