Red Sox-Diamondbacks Ketel Marte Trade Talk Saga Explained

Ketel Marte would have been a picture-perfect fit for the Boston Red Sox this winter, but that only increased his price tag, in all likelihood.

The Arizona Diamondbacks' three-time All-Star second baseman will get a full no-trade clause just a few days into the regular season on the basis of service time, so his team understandably explored just how much it could get for him this offseason. But just after the new year, general manager Mike Hazen came right out and said trades were off the table involving Marte.

On Monday, Boston insider Alex Speier reported how much the Red Sox were willing to give up for Marte, and it's easy to see where the sticking point happened between the two clubs.

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Where Red Sox backed off Marte talks

Sep 1, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second base Ketel Marte (4) celebrates his solo home run in the first inning during the game between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Speier seemed to indicate that the Diamondbacks trying to increase one co-headliner from Franklin Arias to Marcelo Mayer was the Red Sox's reason for ultimately not pushing this one over the finish line.

"According to multiple league sources, the Sox were open to dealing a package headlined by Franklin Arias and either Payton Tolle or Connelly Early in exchange for Marte. However, when Arizona sought a package led by Marcelo Mayer and one of the pitchers, the Sox declined," wrote Speier.

"Ultimately, the Diamondbacks decided early in January to cut off talks about Marte. They haven’t revisited that stance, but their position could shift depending on the arc of their season."

Things would seemingly have to go very poorly for Arizona to not only reconsider their stance on moving Marte, who is under contract at a very reasonable price for five more seasons, but for Marte himself to be willing to accept a move.

That said, the Red Sox would have been committing to moving Mayer at a time when they still fully expected him (and still do) to take on a starting infield job. Marte is much more proven than Mayer, but it's still understandable that the Red Sox dug in their heels at the time.

Unfortunately for Boston, when Alex Bregman didn't return, Marte was already off the table, so it's been several weeks of scrambling to try and recover ever since.

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