Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte Makes History By Extending Playoff Hitting Streak
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte did more than just win tacos for America on Friday night.
The rising star also made some important baseball history.
Marte crushed an RBI double to center in the fifth inning that put the Diamondbacks on top 5-3 in Game 1 of the World Series versus the Texas Rangers. Marte finished the game 1-for-5 in Arizona's eventual 6-5 loss.
As a result, Marte extended his playoff hitting streak to 17 games. According to MLB.com's Sarah Langs, that is tied for the longest in postseason history.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez achieved the feat between the 2003 and 2004 playoffs, while New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter did so from 1998 to 1999. Hank Bauer had a 17-game hitting streak of his own from 1956 to 1958 as a member of the Yankees.
Marte has recorded a hit in each of the Diamondbacks' 13 games so far this postseason. His active hitting streak started all the way back in 2017, when he went 3-for-5 in the NL Wild Card Game and 4-for-12 in the NLDS.
After going 2-for-8 in the NL Wild Card Series this fall, Marte bounced back by going 5-for-14 with a 1.000 OPS in the NLDS. Marte earned NLCS MVP honors thanks to his .387 batting average and .987 OPS against the Philadelphia Phillies.
In his postseason career, Marte is a .360 hitter with a 1.017 OPS. He has at least one hit in every single one of his 17 playoff appearances, including eight multi-hit outings, three home runs and 11 RBI.
Ramirez, Jeter and Bauer all secured World Series rings during their respective hitting streaks, and they retired with 14 championships between the three of them. Marte had never reached the Fall Classic before 2023, but he has a chance to join the trio with a title of his own this year.
Marte has a chance to break the all-time playoff hitting streak record in Game 2 on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 8:03 p.m. ET.
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