Ketel Marte’s return to the Diamondbacks brought more than just a bat in the lineup. It also brought a hat that had people talking.
The 32-year-old second baseman showed up in the clubhouse Monday wearing a message that read, “May the Bridges I Burn Light the Way,” according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. It’s the kind of line that can mean a lot of different things, and Torey Lovullo did his best to land on the most charitable reading.
“I think if you chop up those words, maybe he's taking some accountability,” Lovullo said. “You know, like he feels like he has done some things, and you want to see it better. That's all I read.”
The phrase has an old pop-culture root, too. It first appeared in “Beverly Hills, 90210” in the 1990s, when Dylan McKay, played by Luke Perry, said it during the show’s run.
Marte had returned to action on Monday after a short absence from the team and is set to play Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. His reappearance came after he was booed by Diamondbacks fans on Monday, though the exact source of the tension around him remains unclear. The club had said he was dealing with a knee injury after he missed a game in Boston, and he recently came off the 10-day IL.
Arizona’s 12-year franchise player brings a .249 batting average and .314 OBP into Tuesday’s game. He has 117 hits, 21 home runs and 67 RBIs in 469 at-bats this season.
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The other subplot belonged to Ketel Marte, who was back in the Diamondbacks lineup after time away and drew a reception that reflected how tense things have felt around the club lately. For a team still trying to steady itself in the seasons final stretch, even a night that mostly came down to one swing ended up feeling like a reminder of how much is still unsettled. [Read more 🡒]