PHOENIX — For the second offseason in a row, Ketel Marte is at the center of Diamondbacks trade buzz, MLB.com reported from the GM Meetings in Las Vegas.
Arizona went to the World Series in 2023 but has won 89, 80 and 86 games since and missed the playoffs all three years, falling short on the final weekend of the season.
“I just think at the stage where we’re at, given that we’ve fallen short of the playoffs the last three years [with] the group that went to the World Series, I just think I need to be open to making adjustments to what the roster looks like,” general manager Mike Hazen said.
Last offseason, the Diamondbacks listened to offers for Marte into January before deciding to keep the All-Star second baseman. He has since earned 10-and-5 rights, which allow him to veto any trade.
In August, Marte did not show up for a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, which led to a brief stint on the restricted list and then the injured list, according to MLB.com. He apologized to his teammates after returning.
MLB.com reported that any deal now would be more complicated, both because Marte must approve it and because the team’s asking price may be lower than last year.
Payroll is also a factor. Arizona’s payroll topped $200 million last season, and the club has said it will likely go down in 2027.
Sources: MLB.com. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: MSgt. Raheem Moore / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
