Ketel Marte back in D-backs’ lineup, sorry for disappearance

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte told reporters he has apologized to his manager and will address his teammates after his bizarre disappearance earlier this month.

Having rejoined the team Monday, Marte spoke with the aid of an interpreter and said he planned to apologize to his teammates "like a man" for his decision not to show up for a road series against the Boston Red Sox.

"I'm going to stand in front of my teammates like a man. I'm going to ask for forgiveness. We're all human. We all commit mistakes," said Marte, who said a "moment of frustration" led him to decide not to report to the team at Fenway Park.

"I'm the type of person that when something's going on in my life," Marte added, "I don't like to talk about it."

Marte, 32, did not report to the ballpark Aug. 17 after traveling with the Diamondbacks from Atlanta to Boston as part of a six-game road trip. Manager Torey Lovullo was left in the dark about his lineup until 20 minutes before game time.

The team subsequently put Marte on the restricted list, before he was moved to the 10-day injured list because of left knee inflammation.

"In that instance, I failed (Lovullo) by not showing up," Marte said of his Aug. 17 decision. "That morning I woke up, my body was in pain, and I just couldn't react. No one made the decision for me. I'm the one who made the decision to not show up."

Marte did not address his reported sighting at a Phoenix-area casino during a Diamondbacks game while he was on the injured list. And when asked if he had anything to say to Arizona fans, he shook his head no.

Marte's agent met with Lovullo and Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen to hash things out after Marte's no-show in Boston.

Monday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies will be Marte's first appearance since Aug. 16. He is in the D-backs' lineup, batting cleanup as the designated hitter.

A three-time All-Star and former National League Championship Series MVP, Marte had been the subject of an odd absence before. His home in Arizona was robbed the night of the 2025 All-Star Game, and he chose to travel to his native Dominican Republic in the aftermath, missing the Diamondbacks' first three games after the All-Star break. He apologized for his decision to leave the team following a report that some teammates were unhappy with him.

--Field Level Media