D-backs GM Apologized to Ketel Marte After Shutting Down Trade Talks

The trade rumors are a thing of the past for Arizona's All-Star.

Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen speaks to the media ahead of their NLCS matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Oct. 15, 2023. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Arizona Diamondbacks are moving forward, and Ketel Marte is still on their roster. Not trading their three-time All-Star is hardly a negative outcome — for Marte himself, for his manager, and for GM Mike Hazen.

Hazen does not regret exploring a Marte trade. He felt it was his job to look for a potential deal that might have brought back enough of a haul to fill numerous roster holes.

But that doesn't mean he wasn't aware of the effect it had on Marte, who had been through a rather tumultuous 2025 season on and off the field.

On Tuesday — also known as day one of spring training — Hazen told the media he apologized to Marte for how widespread and publicized the trade rumors became.

"He and I have had a number of conversations. We had dinner together. I don't ever expect the player to fully understand it because... that's the way they're wired. And I appreciate that. I also... told him I apologize, not for doing my job or the things that I felt like I had to do, but more so that his name was so out there in public.

"I felt like given the injuries to our pitching staff and where we're walking into this season... that we were going to be creating a lot of holes that we were going to then have to fill," Hazen said. "It was something that I just felt a responsibility to explore. But we never really came close to doing it. I walked through all that with him.

"Unfortunately, a player of his caliber, that's what happens during a baseball offseason. It's a very interesting subject. And I don't take that lightly that I was not... taking his name out of the marketplace. And so we kind of talked through those things," Hazen said.

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Arizona Diamondbacks' Mike Hazen Apologized to Ketel Marte

Feb 10, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte (4) throws during workouts at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images

Marte himself is happy to still be a Diamondback.

"It's baseball, I understand the business side of it and how it works," Marte told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert earlier this week. "There were a few comments out there on social media that I wasn't happy with, but I love the D-backs and I want to be here."

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There does not appear to be any bad blood between Marte and the organization, especially observing Marte enthusiastically taking ground balls next to Geraldo Perdomo at Salt River Fields — five days before full-squad workouts began. Manager Torey Lovullo said Marte had been there for "weeks," in fact.

"He is very much committed to being here and being an elite baseball player for us," Hazen said. "And we haven't hit the highs as a baseball team in this organization since I've been here without him being here."

Lovullo did not hide his relief that Marte was not traded away when speaking to reporters. The manager said he was "very happy" to still have his All-Star second baseman.

"As I've told him, he might be the best player I ever managed," Lovullo said. "He's that talented, and he can turn around games, and he can go out there and light it up as good as anybody. I know that there were some tough times last year, and it's well-documented, and we've had those conversations.

"I've had those conversations with you guys. I've had them with Ketel. We're going to learn and grow, and the fact that he's here, I couldn't be more thrilled. He's going to help us win a lot of baseball games."