The Arizona Diamondbacks may be getting serious about moving on from Ketel Marte.
According to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, Mike Hazen spent time during this week’s GM meetings talking through trade possibilities with clubs for the disgruntled second baseman. The talks are said to be broad, with Arizona open to different kinds of returns, including packages built around MLB players or prospects. The one thing the Diamondbacks are believed to want most is pitching.
Marte has been in Arizona for the last 10 seasons and has built a strong résumé there, collecting three All-Star nods, two Silver Sluggers and two top-five MVP finishes. On the field, he’s still one of the best offensive second basemen in baseball. But the off-field issues that have followed him have pushed the Diamondbacks toward a possible breakup.
That tension came to a head in August during a series against the Boston Red Sox, when Marte did not report to the field before a game and did not contact the team to explain why. Arizona put him on the restricted list and later the injured list. It was the second time in two years that Marte had left the team during the season, and it created friction inside the clubhouse.
In October, manager Torey Lovullo said he would no longer protect Marte if the same kind of issues came up again.
Even with that baggage, Marte still carries real value. He’s on a contract that looks team-friendly for his level of production, with at least $76 million owed over the next four seasons and an $11.5-million player option for 2031. But any deal would still need Marte’s approval, since he has a full no-trade clause.
The 33-year-old played in 141 games last season and hit .249/.316/.432 with 22 home runs, 31 doubles and 2.5 fWAR. He also ranked in the 88th percentile in outs above average. Over the last three seasons, he leads all MLB second basemen in fWAR.
If Arizona does push this forward, there should be no shortage of interested teams. The Toronto Blue Jays, Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres are among the clubs that enter the winter looking for help at second base.
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