Ketel Marte's Latest Award Signals Turning Point for Diamondbacks

The Arizona Diamondbacks, as talented as they may be up and down the order, were still likely going nowhere without a return to form for star second baseman Ketel Marte. That return struck faster than anyone might have predicted.

Marte's turnaround happened so fast, in fact, that his explosive output over his past week's worth of plate appearances earned him the National League Player of the Week Award, handed out weekly by Major League Baseball.

Strike while the Ketel is hot. pic.twitter.com/pgAD9NS7K9
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 26, 2026

And when one takes a look at the numbers, it's impossible to argue anyone else might have been more deserving — or that the Diamondbacks are not in prime position to kick it in to a higher offensive gear at the perfect time.

Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte wins NL Player of the Week

May 20, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates after hitting a double in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

It began with a blast, but had been brewing for some time.

Marte, who had fallen on the wrong side of batted-ball luck on numerous quality swings, crushed a walk-off home run to earn a last-second victory over the San Francisco Giants back on May 19. That was the most notable performance of his season to date, though he had put together two multi-knock games prior to that contest.

But since that game, Marte has been on an otherworldy tear. His weekly numbers, which earned him his second career NL Player of the Week nod, consist of a .536 batting average, a 1.563 OPS, four doubles, three homers, 12 RBI and three walks.

And in fact, from May 16 on, he's hit 21-for-42 (an exact .500), with three three-hit games and one four-hit game.

There's just been a different feel to Marte's swing — confident, decisive and loose. He's playing like the version of himself that earned back-to-back All-Star Game starts, an NLCS MVP trophy and regular attention from the national media.

Arizona Diamondbacks ketel marte — May 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) returns ot the dugout after the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Hitting just .209/.263/.356 on May 15, Marte has since raised his slash to .275/.327/.470, and has pulled his OPS (which was in the .600s), to just three ticks shy of .800.

That's the version of Marte the Diamondbacks need going forward.

Since Marte's hot streak began (on May 16, prior to the start of his official weekly resume), the Diamondbacks have won eight of 10 contests. Arizona came out of their most recent win over the Giants holding the final NL Wild Card spot at 29-24.

It hasn't been all Marte, of course, but his nine-game hit streak and recent power output have certainly been a major driving force atop an already-talented group of hitters.

"He'd been getting some bad, batted ball luck early on. And so just to see him getting rewarded right now with a stretch like he's on, it's been really gratifying just to watch as his teammate," Corbin Carroll said of Marte to Arizona Sports 98.7's Wolf and Luke Show. "He's been playing great."

Perhaps Marte's turnaround is a sign of the success still to come. At any rate, it's a pleasure to witness the far-and-away top second baseman in the sport find his swing again.

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