The Diamondbacks announced that Ketel Marte sustained a left hamstring strain in this evening’s win over the Nationals. The star second baseman pulled up lame as he ran out a first-inning double. He left the game immediately and was replaced by pinch-runner Garrett Hampson.
Manager Torey Lovullo suggested postgame that Marte was likely headed to the 10-day injured list (h/t to Megan Plain of Fox 10 Phoenix). The team will presumably have a better idea of how long he’ll be out as he goes through testing over the next couple days. Any absence is a significant blow on the heels of Marte’s first top-three MVP finish.
The two-time All-Star drilled 36 home runs with a .292/.372/.560 slash en route to a Silver Slugger award last season. Marte had been out to a strong start this year. Today’s double pushed him to 9-26 on the young season. He has drawn six walks while only striking out four times. The injury comes two days after Marte signed an extension that added four years and $64MM while deferring a decent chunk of salary to give the team more payroll flexibility in the short term.
Hampson is the only backup infielder on the active roster. He’s a light-hitting utility player who posted a .230/.275/.300 line over 113 games for the Royals last season. Blaze Alexander has been down since February because of an oblique strain. Grae Kessinger and Tim Tawa are on the 40-man roster if the D-Backs want to promote a backup infielder while drawing Hampson into the lineup at second base.
The higher-upside play would be to promote top prospect Jordan Lawlar, who hasn’t appeared in the majors since a late-season call in 2023. Lawlar missed most of last season to injury. There wasn’t a path to everyday playing time behind Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Eugenio Suárez, so the D-Backs optioned him back to Triple-A Reno to begin the season. He’s hitting .273 without a home run through his first six games. Primarily a shortstop, Lawlar made his third start of the season at second base in Reno’s game tonight. He has also made one start at third base and three at shortstop.
I guess he signed his extension at the right time.
Funny comment, but this guy is one of those guys. I believe the term they use nowadays is “he’s a dog”. Nothing but bad timing, hey every injury is.
This gives Arizona a free audition for Jordan Lawlar. They’re most likely stress testing a contingency plan they’ll desperately need if Marte’s decline accelerates. If Lawlar proves viable, they’ve got a cheap, controllable replacement to offset the payroll albatross that is Marte.
“… if Marte’s decline accelerates.”
What decline are you referencing? He was 3rd in NL MVP voting last year.
He’s literally getting better
@GabrielMorenoSuperfan
Soft-tissue injury recurrence risk in MLB players over 30 likely rises 15-20% annually, consistent with age-related trends in professional sports.
My point isn’t present decline—it’s Arizona preempting a future drop-off, using Lawlar to stress-test a roster pivot while Marte’s $16MM/year deal looms.
@Angels & NL West
I’m not claiming current decline—his .292/.372/.560 season proves peak form. The “if” hinges on future risk: at 31, with a hamstring strain now (April 2025) and a prior IL stint in 2023, his injury history signals a statistical probability of physical erosion by 2026-29, when his $64MM extension peaks. Arizona’s Lawlar test isn’t about today’s Marte—it’s a hedge against that actuarial curve, securing a cost-controlled exit if his body falters mid-contract.
Well technically if he finishes 4th in NL MVP voting in 2025, it is still a decline.
Old York why do you always post such factually incorrect gibberish
I’m guessing the severity of strain dictates the move. 4-6+ weeks and giving Lawlar an extended run makes plenty of sense, but a 2-3 week cautionary move keeps the kid in Reno.
Great player, has been hurt a lot unfortunately.