Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte seen at casino while on injured list
Ketel Marte was photographed at a casino during a home game after missing a previous game and being placed on the injured list, prompting comments from the team's manager and teammates.
Photos posted on social media on Friday showed Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte sitting at a roulette table in a local casino while the team played the Cincinnati Reds at home. Marte, who is on the injured list with a knee issue, had been placed on the restricted list after failing to appear for a game against the Boston Red Sox on Monday.
Manager Torey Lovullo said after Friday's game, "He's free to do whatever he wants. As long as he wakes up tomorrow morning and posts, and gets his work done at Salt River, which I am certain he will, that's all that matters to me right now." Lovullo also expressed that he felt "hurt" and "betrayed" by the situation.
Marte did not explain his Monday absence to the team until a meeting with officials on Thursday, after which he was moved from the restricted list to the injured list. He left Boston to undergo knee testing and later rehabilitated at the team's spring-training complex, Salt River Fields, a routine practice for injured players.
Reliever Kevin Ginkel said the incident was disappointing, noting the team needs Marte present to execute its plans. Marte, 32, has missed several games this season after starting 116 of 125 before the Monday no-show. He previously finished third in MVP voting in 2024 and has been an All-Star in the past two seasons. In April, Arizona signed him to a seven-year, $116.5 million extension, the third long-term deal the club has given him.