Torey Lovullo Addresses Ketel Marte's Baffling Unexcused Absence in Boston

On Monday night, mere minutes prior to first pitch against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a shocking roster transaction.

Second baseman Ketel Marte was placed on the Restricted List, with infielder Jose Fernandez getting the call up to take his spot. That, understandably, raised some eyebrows. The Restricted List is for players who are absent for personal, legal or non-baseball reasons. Teams can choose to not pay a player's salary while on the RL.

Nick Piecoro of AZCentral later reported that Marte, who is apparently physically alright, simply did not show up to the ballpark. The Diamondbacks did not expect him to no-show; they had expected him to DH in the series opener with the Red Sox.

Obviously, this led to plenty of speculation. So here's what Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo had to say about the matter, speaking to D-backs.TV Jody Jackson postgame:

Torey Lovullo addresses Ketel Marte's unexcused absence

Jun 30, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Arizona's manager provided a few answers, though there still remain plenty of questions about this situation. Marte is dealing with an unspecified "personal issue."

A visibly emotional Lovullo had this to say:

"It''s been a crazy day. All I know is that he's dealing with a personal issue. We're trying to figure that out. He didn't show up today and he was put on the restricted list. That's as much as I know right now. I'm sure in time we'll start to uncover and unravel some information."

Lovullo said he "knew that there was something going on" when he met with the media ahead of the game, but still expected the second baseman to report to Fenway Park.

"I knew that there was something going on today when I met with you guys, but I still believed he was going to be here, he just didn't show up," Lovullo said.

Lovullo said he had some communication with Marte earlier Monday morning.

"I just was doing my best to reach out to him. There was very little coming back. ... I know there was a lot of discussions about it at different points in time in the clubhouse today. There was a lot of curiosity. We care for Ketel."

When asked what the path forward for Marte might be, Lovullo did not know. He said he was not worried about the situation, however.

"Just care for him and love him. I love him and I care for him," Lovullo said. "He is fine — I want you guys to know that. I just care for him on that level. So does everybody in that room."

Marte did travel with the team to Boston. Lovullo said he was not sure if Marte was still there, but that he believed that to be the case.

Aug 16, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) runs to the dugout during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is not the first time Marte has been placed on the RL. In 2025, he had an unexcused absence coming out of the All-Star Break, as he departed for his native Domincan Republic.

That led to reports of organizational frustration with Marte, which in turn spurred on trade rumors for much of the subsequent offseason. Arizona opted not to trade him, ultimately.

Marte is not having the best season by his own lofty standards, hitting a productive, yet not eye-popping .249/.314/.446 slash and .760 OPS. He leads Arizona in home runs with 21. Marte exited August 14's game against the Atlanta Braves with left knee soreness, but returned to the lineup after just one game off.

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