The Diamondbacks may be headed back into familiar territory this offseason: listening on Ketel Marte.
Arizona explored Marte trade possibilities last winter as part of its search for controllable starting pitching, and this time around there’s a real chance the club pushes harder to move him. That said, actually finding a deal may be another matter. Marte gains 10-and-5 rights in April, which would give him the ability to veto any trade.
Reports from John Gambadoro and Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports, along with Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, say the Diamondbacks will again gauge the market on Marte. Piecoro added that clubs have already shown preliminary interest, though the trade market has only just opened.
Marte has become one of the sport’s most obvious offseason trade names, checking in at No. 6 on MLBTR’s list of top candidates. That ranking is tied heavily to the growing frustration around his availability and behavior, including instances of him no-showing certain games over the years.
Owner Ken Kendrick didn’t hide his feelings in early October, saying he hoped Marte would “overcome his consistent acts of immaturity.” Torey Lovullo also signaled a tougher stance, saying “at a certain point, I have to allow them (players) to advocate for themselves.” Mike Hazen was more measured publicly, but the message was clear enough: the front office may need to shake up the core after a third straight near miss.
Hazen repeated that idea when he spoke with Piecoro on Thursday. On whether the club would entertain offers, he said, “I think we need to look at some ways to shake the team up a little bit.
I think we’ve had this team together for a long time. We’ve had some success, but we’re going to find ways to make some changes in some cases.
I don’t know where that’s going to take us.”
That leaves Arizona in a tough spot. Marte is not the kind of player you want to move for a weak return, especially when he’s shown he can still impact a lineup. From 2021-25, he was arguably the best second baseman in the league, hitting .279/.360/.498 and finishing third in MVP voting in 2023.
Still, the off-field side of the equation has only gotten messier. Late in ’25, reports said teammates were frustrated after Marte traveled back to the Dominican Republic and missed the club’s first series after the All-Star Break. That episode helped fuel interest when Arizona checked the market last winter.
Then came the August incident at Fenway Park. Marte no-showed for a game while dealing with a left knee issue that had affected his performance.
He didn’t initially report for treatment or tell the club he would not be there. Arizona placed him on the restricted list and then moved him to the injured list a few days later.
He missed two weeks, apologized, and returned for the final month, but the episode still hung over a season that ended with Arizona just missing the playoffs. The Diamondbacks lost out to Philadelphia for the third Wild Card spot on the season’s final day.
On the field, Marte’s season was uneven even beyond the controversy. He hit 22 homers and put up a .249/.316/.432 line in 624 plate appearances, a fairly ordinary slash line for a player of his caliber. He was excellent against lefties, posting a .307/.359/.571 line, but he had a strangely rough year versus right-handed pitching at .230/.301/.386.
There may be some explanation for that split. The knee issue likely played a part, and his .245 average on balls in play against righties was well below his .291 career mark.
Even so, Marte continued to hit the ball hard and avoid strikeouts. At age 33, he may no longer be in MVP-finalist territory, but he should still be better than what his 2026 line suggests.
Any team considering Marte will have to balance the talent with the contract and the clubhouse questions. He’s owed five more years and $87.5MM.
Next season costs just $12MM, with half of that deferred, but the salary climbs to $20MM in 2028 and $22MM in each of the following two seasons. He also has an opt-out after the 2031 season at $11.5MM.
There’s also the no-trade issue. Even if Marte were open to a move, his camp could ask for some form of contractual kicker in exchange for waiving his 10-and-5 rights. And while his contract includes a five-team no-trade list, that protection would not automatically follow him to a new club if he approved a deal out of Arizona.
The Diamondbacks would also have to solve second base if Marte goes. Demetrio Crisantes didn’t show much power after a midseason move to Triple-A Reno, which is a hitter-friendly setting, and he’s expected to begin next season in the minors.
Jordan Lawlar shifted to the outfield last year after defensive struggles, and Arizona may not want to move him back to the dirt given his injury history. Tim Tawa and Jose Fernandez project more as versatile depth pieces than everyday answers.
That’s a problem for a roster that already looks thin in a few spots. Arizona needs help at first base and/or designated hitter, wants more production against right-handed pitching, must find at least one starter with Michael Soroka reaching free agency, and also has to rebuild half the bullpen. With ownership expecting payroll to come down now that Zac Gallen and are off the books, the Diamondbacks have a lot to sort through.
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