Ketel Marte: "It's Time to Win"
When it comes time for post game interviews, one of the best players on the team is seldom the one being asked to give a quote. It seems strange perhaps, but Ketel Marte is having an excellent season that has been marked by quiet consistency. Asked if he felt overlooked at all, he shrugged and stated simply "I don't worry about that. I don't really like to talk too much. I'm most thankful I'm healthy and that's what's most important."
Batting either first or second every game this year, his consistency has been remarkable. His overall batting line of .287/.359/.486, .859 OPS comes out to a 131 OPS+, or 31% better than the league average.
On April 24th he was batting .282 with an .805 OPS. He failed to reach base the next day. Then he went 30 straight games reaching by either a base hit, a walk or hit by pitch. At the end of that 30 game on base streak he was batting .284 with a .828 OPS. He failed to reach base finally on June 2nd, but resumed getting on base the very next game and for 11 straight through last night. In total he has gotten on base in 41 out of his last 42 games and 59 out of 65 played this year.
Asked why he feels he's been so consistent, his answer was straight forward. "I've been healthy the entire year. That's been what's the key here. That's the kind of player that I am. That's the kind of player that categorizes me. That's what's most important."
His manager Tory Lovullo echoed those sentiments. (See video clip at the top of article for full comments) 2019 was a break out year for Marte, but since then various injuries and muscle pulls have kept him from achieving the kind of consistency he's had this year. "When he's healthy you can see what he can do.....consistency for me is the name of this game. I want to know what's going out there every single day. When you've got a consistent baseball player that's giving effort, and obviously having the results that he's having, they're real easy to manage and Ketel falls in that category."
It may not have always been that way. There were times in the past where at least from the outside it's appeared that Marte was less than focused and engaged. He's had some incredible peaks in his career, but also periods of time where the results just weren't what one might expect from a player of his caliber. Certainly much of that is tied back to the health issues he's dealt with. Perhaps a little of it was tied to getting a multi year contract extension too. Prior to the 2022 season the team extended for five years, $76 million through 2027 with a club option for 2028. He responded with a very lackluster season, marred not only by hamstring issues, but sometimes what appeared to be lack of focus on the field.
Challenged during the off season to work on flexibility and range, Marte refocused his efforts on reshaping his body and getting back to being the fluid athlete he'd been when he first came over in trade from the Seattle Mariners in 2017. Marte had bulked up and gotten thick in trunk. Perhaps that helped him add power, but it cost him games as he repeatedly suffered pulled muscles. During the offseason Lovullo had a chance to visit Marte in the Dominican Republic and raved afterwards about the workouts he was doing in the sand at the beach to get his lower half in shape. Marte showed up to camp in spring training looking visibly more trim and agile and that's paid off in a healthy season so far.
After seven years in the valley, and experiencing a lot of ups and downs with the team, he's acutely aware of the opportunity that is presented being on a young, up and coming team. The Diamondbacks are 42-28, three games up in the NL West divisional race. The determination in his voice was crystal clear, even speaking through translator Alex Arpiza.
"It's time to win here, I think this is the team we've been looking for, looking to build. It's time to win. Me as one of the veteran players here I've been trying to help out these younger guys and help them try to win."
Asked about the difference between this and last year he went on to speak glowingly of his teammates and the fun he's having with them
"We have a competitive team, we have incredible talent, you know, from the veterans like Longoria who is helping us win, to the youngest like McCarthy who came back up and is doing his job, and we have Carroll who is the best player in the entire league. We’re good, thanks God. The difference is we’re playing ball the way we’re supposed to and taking care of things. Atmosphere is very chill, we have fun, here in the locker room and on the field."
If the Diamondbacks are able to continue this run all the way to a post season berth, it will require exactly the kind of consistent excellence Marte has provided at the top of the order all year. Getting into the 2023 All Star Game in Seattle is a goal and a motivating factor for him too. Recently when speaking with hitting coach Joe Mather about the coache's efforts to set up some time to work out with him during the break, Marte told him he wouldn't have time, as he'll be in the All Star Game. That is not a far fetched goal at all, as he has a chance to do exactly that if he keeps playing like he has been.
