Ketel Marte IL: D-backs Shift Him Off Restricted List

The Ketel Marte IL move is Arizona trying to turn a weird week into a medical one. MLB.com reported that the Diamondbacks second baseman and his agent met Thursday afternoon at Salt River Fields with general manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo, then Marte came off the restricted list and landed on the 10-day injured list. An MRI of his left knee showed inflammation. Hazen said he received an injection. Because the restricted-list stay cannot be backdated, the clock starts Thursday. He has to miss 10 days from there.

That is the official baseball transaction. The week around it was messier. Marte was penciled in as the designated hitter Monday night at Fenway Park. MLB.com said Arizona held the lineup until about 20 minutes before first pitch, hoping he would show up. He did not. Lovullo called it a “crazy day,” said Marte was dealing with a personal issue, and said there was “very little coming back” when he reached out. Teammates told MLB.com they had texted and gotten little or no response. The club put him on the restricted list.

What the MRI showed, and what Arizona will say

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reported that Thursday's meeting was described as productive and that the MRI showed inflammation in the upper hamstring and the medial joint of the knee. Marte received an injection that afternoon. Gambadoro said the Diamondbacks are hopeful the Ketel Marte IL stay will be on the short end. Hazen, via MLB.com, would not get into specifics. “I feel like the conversation and meeting was productive. We discussed the last week,” he said. “He'll talk to his teammates at some point and we'll go from there.” The team hopes the injection lets him return when the 10 days are up, or shortly after.

Marte's agent, Charisse Espinosa-Dash, gave MLB Network's Jon Paul Morosi a statement Wednesday: he is “currently managing a personal matter and will be undergoing an MRI on his knee tomorrow.” She said he appreciates support from fans, teammates, the organization, and Lovullo, and that he remains optimistic about returning as soon as possible. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, cited by The Big Lead, reported Arizona changed course and will pay him on the injured list after three unpaid days on the restricted list. Players on the IL get paid. Players on the restricted list do not.

Why the Ketel Marte IL stint hits the standings

ESPN said Marte is hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs. MLB.com had a .760 OPS and those same 21 home runs for the 32-year-old. Arizona is 67-61, ESPN reported, one game behind the San Diego Padres for the last National League wild-card spot and trying to reach October for the first time since the 2023 World Series run. A three-time All-Star second baseman sitting through a no-show, a restricted-list stretch, and now a 10-day IL is not a depth-chart footnote. It is the middle of the order going dark in a one-game race.

ESPN also noted this is not Marte's first strange absence. Last season he went on the restricted list after his Arizona home was broken into during the All-Star break, missed three games, and later apologized. Thursday's public record is the MRI, the injection, and a 10-day clock that cannot start before Thursday.

Ketel Marte IL FAQ

Why is Ketel Marte on the injured list? MLB.com said a left-knee MRI showed inflammation and that he received an injection. Gambadoro added upper-hamstring inflammation. Arizona moved him from the restricted list to the 10-day IL after Thursday's meeting.

When can Ketel Marte return from the IL? The stint cannot be backdated, MLB.com reported, so he must miss 10 days beginning Thursday, August 20. The club hopes the stay is short.

What happened with Ketel Marte and the restricted list? He did not show up for Monday's game in Boston, where he was listed as the DH. Lovullo said he was dealing with a personal issue. His agent confirmed a personal matter and a scheduled MRI. After three days, Arizona placed him on the IL and, per the Arizona Republic, will pay him.