Why Diamondbacks Haven't Moved Ketel Marte Down in the Lineup

It's not just Ketel Marte who isn't performing as well as he's been known to do. The entire Arizona Diamondbacks' offense at this stage of the season — perhaps with the exception of Corbin Carroll — has looked flat and uninspiring, with a lack of their former clutch factor.

But it's also no secret that a .787 OPS, though sturdy, is not close to the best that Marte has to offer, even if he's had a bit more success of late.

Of course, the natural inclination is to suggest a shakeup to the lineup. Marte has been leading off the order all season, which has traditionally been an extremely successful spot for him. He posted an OPS of over 1.000 as the first batter of the game consistently between 2023 and 2025, and it was a career-best 1.442 last season.

But this season, Marte's leadoff numbers in that situation are much lower. He's hitting .215 with a .619 OPS as the first batter.

So, is it time to move him down and shake up the batting order? Torey Lovullo gave some thoughts on that possibility in his pregame press conference on Monday.

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Lovullo said he might have to have a conversation with Marte about moving down the order, but he pointed out moving around is something Marte has traditionally preferred not to do.

"I've got to maybe have a conversation with him if he wants to move around. He's not a big move-around type of guy. He's a nester. He's a rooter. He likes to sit in one place. So, I've got to be aware of that," Lovullo said.

"I think he comes out of the gate charged and ready. ... Whether he's hitting first, second, or third, he's going to be great no matter what."

Theoretically, the Diamondbacks could put Corbin Carroll, who comes with blazing speed and on-base ability, in the leadoff spot, while moving Marte to the two- or three-hole. The spot for a team's overall best hitter is third. But Lovullo said Marte prefers not to hit in that spot, specifically.

"It's just something that he and I have talked about now for, what, ten years? It was one of the first conversations I had with him when he got traded over, or just got called up, about his comfort level, certain positions.

"He says there's something about hitting third that... he's never done well and he never wants to try again. Every time I revisit it, he's very firm on it."

Arizona's manager said it may be time to bring those talks back, however.

"We're at the point in time where maybe I reintroduce the conversation. I haven't had it with him in maybe a year, but maybe I bridge that conversation to see how he feels about it."

Jun 19, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo against the Minnesota Twins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lovullo did make sure to note that the Diamondbacks' overall lack of offensive production does not necessarily rest squarely on the shoulders of their top hitters.

"Our problem is not the top three or four hitters when [Gabriel Moreno]'s playing," he said. "They seem to be doing okay. It's 5-9. 5-9 needs to be a little more consistent."

And that is certainly true. Arizona has gotten a .228 batting average (23rd best in MLB), a .638 OPS (second-worst) and 77 wRC+ (also second-worst) from their 5-9 hitters.

Moving Marte down might be a way to help him shape back into the superstar he's known to be, but it's not the cure-all for the D-backs' lower-end hitters simply not performing.

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