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Ketel Marte

Injury Updates: Brito, Marte, Belt, La Stella, Kershaw

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Phillies Triple-A prospect Daniel Brito collapsed in the first inning of today’s game, and had to be taken off the field via ambulance.  According to a statement released by the team, Brito is currently undergoing surgery at a local hospital, but no other details were provided.  (Sal Maiorana of The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle has a fuller account of the on-field situation.)

Brito is in his sixth pro season, all in the Phillies organization, and he earned his first promotion to Triple-A after hitting .296/.363/.457 in 275 PA for Double-A Reading this season.  We at MLB Trade Rumors wish all the best for Brito in the wake of this terrifying incident, and we hope he has a full recovery.

More on injury situations from around baseball…

  • The Diamondbacks reinstated Ketel Marte off the 10-day injured list today.  Marte missed just over a month due to a left hamstring strain, and between this injury and a right hamstring strain earlier in the season, Marte has appeared in only 37 games in 2021.  On the plus side, Marte had been hitting extremely well (.370/.419/.556 in 148 PA) when he was able to play, so he still has two months to salvage something positive from what has been a lost season for the D’Backs.  Since Arizona had no intention of dealing Marte or any other core players, the IL stint seemingly didn’t scuttle any potential Marte trades prior to the deadline.
  • Giants manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle) that Brandon Belt and Tommy La Stella are hopefully within 7-10 days of rejoining the team.  Belt has missed a little over a month with a knee injury, while La Stella hasn’t played since May 2 due to both a hamstring injury and a fractured hand.
  • There is some doubt as to whether or not Clayton Kershaw will make his 60-pitch sim game tomorrow, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times) that the star left-hander has “some residual soreness” in his throwing elbow.  A bout of forearm inflammation sent Kershaw to the IL on July 7, and while he was expected back in August, this development could possibly throw a wrench into that timeline.  To be clear, Roberts indicated that Kershaw might still throw the 60-pitch anyway, just that it wasn’t set in stone that the sim game would indeed take place as planned.

Report: D-backs Telling Teams Ketel Marte Won’t Be Traded

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Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte will be one of the most coveted names on this summer’s trade market, but unlike impending free agents Eduardo Escobar and Asdrubal Cabrera, Marte is far from a lock to be traded. To the contrary, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that the D-backs have plainly told multiple clubs that Marte won’t be traded. It’s always possible there’s some posturing in such statements, and a large enough offer can make any team consider moving even the most “untouchable” of players. Still, it’s telling that to this point, Arizona apparently hasn’t seemed particularly inclined to listen.

In that same vein, D-backs assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye spoke with the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro about the team’s general approach at the deadline. Broadly speaking, Sawdaye expresses reluctance to trade any long-term, core pieces (e.g. Marte) while also noting that there could be “different dynamics at play in the offseason than there might be in the next three or four weeks.”

Just who the Diamondbacks consider to be core pieces can be debated to an extent, but Marte, who is signed through 2024, is clearly at the forefront of that group. Right-hander Zac Gallen is controlled through the 2025 season, while catcher Carson Kelly is controlled through ’24 and infielder Josh Rojas through ’26. Lefty Caleb Smith, who has pitched quite well since moving into the rotation last month, is perhaps more attainable given that’s controlled through the 2023 campaign.

While Marte is currently on the injured list thanks to a strained hamstring, it’s nevertheless been a brilliant season for the versatile 27-year-old. A switch-hitter capable of playing second base or anywhere in the outfield, Marte is out to a .370/.419/.556 start with four homers and 13 doubles through 148 plate appearances. He’s walked at a respectable (albeit slightly below-average) 8.1 percent clip while striking out at a 14.2 percent rate that is nearly 10 percent lower than the league average. This season isn’t a random outlier, either; Marte slashed .329/.389/.592 in a full season back in 2019 and has combined for a very strong .302/.362/.507 line in his past 1551 plate appearances dating back to 2018.

Marte’s play alone is enough to make him one of MLB’s most sought-after trade candidates, but the contract extension he signed prior to the 2018 campaign has sent his trade value through the roof. That five-year contract guarantees Marte $24MM in total and also includes a pair of club options valued at $10MM (2023) and $12MM (2024).

Those yearly salaries make Marte affordable enough for even small-market clubs, and the $4.8MM annual value is enormously appealing to clubs who find themselves in the vicinity of the luxury-tax barrier. To this point in the season, Marte has been speculatively linked to both New York clubs at length, though there aren’t really any contending clubs who couldn’t find a way to work Marte into their lineup and payroll.

Sawdaye’s comments, while somewhat vague, do suggest that the D-backs will be a bit more open to exploring trades of this magnitude (though not necessarily Marte himself) in the offseason. Trades of controllable, high-end players are typically complex in nature — the sort that teams are reluctant to rush while simultaneously juggling other trade negotiations (as the D-backs will be doing this month with Escobar, Cabrera, Merrill Kelly, David Peralta and others). A wider base of teams also figures to inquire over the winter, as current rebuilders and/or non-contenders look to change their fortunes in advance of the 2022 campaign.

As always, this sort of topic is one that shouldn’t be addressed in absolutes. Even the best and most valuable players in the game are only “untouchable” until the right return is offered. It’s notable that the D-backs aren’t planning to actively shop Marte themselves, though, and seems likely that an interested party would need to approach the Diamondbacks with a particularly sizable offer to even get talks rolling. Regardless of their current stance, other clubs will surely try to sway the Arizona front office’s mindset in the four weeks between now and the July 30 trade deadline — and if that doesn’t bear fruit, we can probably expect an offseason full of rumblings on the Ketel Marte front.

Diamondbacks Place Ketel Marte On Injured List

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The Diamondbacks announced they’ve placed center fielder Ketel Marte on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 27, with a left hamstring strain. Righty Humberto Castellanos has been recalled from Triple-A Reno to take his place on the active roster.

Marte left last Tuesday’s game with hamstring tightness. After resting for three days, he attempted to return to action on Saturday. Marte almost immediately aggravated the injury upon his return, pulling up while jogging out a first-inning single. He departed Saturday’s game and was sent for further testing today.

There’s no reason for the Diamondbacks to take any chances with their franchise player. At 22-57, any hope Arizona had of competing this season has long since gone out the window. That’s through no fault of Marte, who has a fantastic .370/.419/.556 line through 148 plate appearances.

Marte’s performance and the D-Backs place in the standings has led to some speculation he’d be a potential midseason trade candidate. That never seemed especially likely, though. Marte is under affordable team control through 2024, and Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen has pushed back against the notion the team needs to undergo a full-scale rebuild. Marte’s trip to the IL only seems to reduce the possibility he changes uniforms this summer.

Ketel Marte Leaves Game Early With Left Hamstring Tightness

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10:26 pm: Marte was removed due to left hamstring tightness, the D-Backs announced.

10:10 pm: Diamondbacks star center fielder Ketel Marte left this evening’s game against the Brewers in the first inning. He hit a double but appeared to favor his left leg as he ran the bases, notes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Josh Reddick replaced Marte, with Pavin Smith moving from right to center field to accommodate Reddick’s entrance in right.

It’s a worrisome development for the D-Backs, who already lost Marte for six weeks earlier in the year due to a hamstring strain. His previous injury was to his right leg, while tonight’s appears to be to his left. When he has been healthy enough to take the field, the 27-year-old has been dynamic. Marte is hitting a fantastic .366/.415/.552 across 147 plate appearances this year. It’s a return to his 2019 form, when Marte finished fourth in NL MVP award voting, and a definitive bounce back from his average 2020 campaign.

Between his elite performance and the Diamondbacks league-worst 21-53 record, Marte has drawn plenty of attention from fans of other teams eyeing potential midseason upgrades. There’s been little indication the Arizona front office has any interest in moving Marte this summer, though. He’s guaranteed a modest $8MM in 2022 and controllable via cheap club options through 2024, so there’s no urgency for the D-Backs to part with him.

Indeed, general manager Mike Hazen seemed to cast doubt on a trade involving a player of Marte’s caliber last week. He didn’t explicitly rule out the possibility, of course, but Hazen spoke of “anchoring” the organization around a group of quality, controllable position players. Marte is precisely that type of player, so there’s not much evidence he’d be a particularly likely trade candidate, even if this latest injury doesn’t turn out to be a serious issue.

Diamondbacks Reinstate Ketel Marte

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The Diamondbacks announced that they have reinstated Ketel Marte from the 10-day injured list and optioned outfielder Nick Heath to Triple-A Reno.

Arizona has gone almost the entire season without Marte, who landed on the IL on April 8 with a right hamstring strain. The 27-year-old began the season as the Diamondbacks’ No. 1 choice in center field, and they’ve since left the position to a combination of Heath, Tim Locastro, Pavin Smith and Daulton Varsho. D-backs center fielders rank a below-average 23rd in fWAR (minus-0.2) and 24th in wRC+ (80).

Marte, 27, was red hot to begin the campaign, as he slashed .462/.500/.846 with two home runs in 28 plate appearances. That was more like the MVP-contending Marte the Diamondbacks saw in 2019, not the one who hit .287/.323/.409 with two homers in 195 PA last year.

NL West Notes: Dickerson, Belt, Taylor, Weaver, Marte

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The Giants activated outfielder Alex Dickerson off the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game with the Pirates, and Dickerson went 1-for-5 with a single in the 4-1 San Francisco victory.  Dickerson only missed the minimum 10 days while recovering from a right shoulder impingement, and he’ll look to get on track at the plate after hitting only .213/.276/.338 over his first 87 plate appearances.  Dickerson was a much more productive hitter in 2019-20, batting a somewhat under-the-radar .286/.350/.529 in 360 PA, all but 19 of which came in a Giants uniform.

Dickerson’s return could help a lineup hampered by the continued absence of Brandon Belt, who was a late scratch for today’s game.  Belt left Tuesday’s game due to left side tightness and has made only two appearances since (one as a starter, and one as a pinch-hitter).  It’s possible an IL stint might be necessary for Belt, who has impressed with a .233/.360/.495 slash line and eight home runs in his first 125 PA of the season.

More from the NL West…

  • Chris Taylor was a late scratch from the Dodgers’ lineup today, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that Taylor felt some wrist soreness while taking pre-game swings in the batting cage.  With Cody Bellinger still on the IL, the versatile Taylor has mostly played center field this season, while also seeing action at both corner outfield spots, second base, and shortstop.  Taylor has also been an offensive force no matter his spot on the diamond, hitting .288/.425/.483 with four homers in 146 PA.  While Bellinger may be close to a return, Corey Seager and AJ Pollock were both placed on the injured list within the last two days, so the last thing the Dodgers need is for Taylor to also miss time.  Roberts said Taylor is already receiving treatment on his wrist and more will be known on Monday afternoon.
  • The injury-plagued Diamondbacks had another scare today when Luke Weaver left today’s start due to right shoulder discomfort.  Speaking to The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan (Twitter links) and other reporters after the game, Weaver downplayed the issue, saying that he thinks the shoulder problem can be corrected with a change to his pitching mechanics.  The righty is “pretty confident” he won’t have to miss his next start, currently slated against the Rockies on Friday.  It has been an inconsistent year for Weaver, as the Statcast metrics haven’t liked his work and he has posted a 4.50 ERA over 40 innings.  Counting today’s outing, however, Weaver has tossed 10 1/3 shutout innings over his last two starts, so the right-hander may have turned a corner.
  • Ketel Marte will begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Monday, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told MLB.com’s Jake Rill and other reporters.  Marte only played six games for the D’Backs before hitting the injured list with a right hamstring strain back on April 8.  Due to the long absence, it isn’t yet clear how long Marte will be at Triple-A Reno, though he has been working out with the Diamondbacks and also played a six-inning simulated game at the team’s alternate training site.  The 18-23 D’Backs are trying to stay afloat despite several notable injuries in the last few days alone, and the return of their star Marte would be an enormous boost to the club.

Diamondbacks Place Ketel Marte On 10-Day Injured List, Recall Andrew Young

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The Diamondbacks have placed Ketel Marte on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, the team announced. Andrew Young has been recalled from the Taxi Squad to take his roster spot.

This is a tough blow for the Diamondbacks, who are off to a 2-4 start this season. Marte is off to an incredible .462/.500/.846 start to the season, already posting 0.7 fWAR in six games. The long-term outlook is as of yet unclear. That said, the initial plan was to have Marte assessed with an MRI tomorrow in Phoenix before making an decision, per MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert (via Twitter). That they went ahead and made the move prior to that evaluation isn’t a great sign.

Young, 26, came to the Diamondbacks from the Cardinals as part of the Paul Goldschmidt deal. He made his Major League debut last season with 34 plate appearances across 12 games. Young, like Marte, can move around the diamond defensively. Tim Locastro is playing centerfield today, where Marte started each of the first six games.

Ketel Marte Leaves Diamondbacks’ Game Early With Apparent Leg Injury

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Diamondbacks center fielder Ketel Marte left this evening’s game against the Rockies in the sixth inning with an apparent right leg injury, Zach Buchanan of the Athletic and Steve Gilbert of MLB.com were among those to relay. Marte was running to first after hitting a ground ball when he pulled up favoring his hamstring area. He was helped off the field by a trainer and manager Torey Lovullo.

Needless to say, any significant injury to Marte would be a huge blow. The 27-year-old earned an All-Star selection and finished fourth in National League MVP voting in 2019 after putting up a stellar .329/.389/.592 line with 32 homers in 628 plate appearances. Marte posted merely average numbers in 2020, but he’s gotten off to a blistering start this season. Through Arizona’s first six games, he’s hitting .462/.500/.846 with two homers and four doubles.

Marte was replaced in the outfield by Josh VanMeter, who took over in right with Tim Locastro moving to center. The D-Backs are currently without presumptive starting right fielder Kole Calhoun, who is recovering from early-March knee surgery.

Diamondbacks Place Ketel Marte On 10-Day IL

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The Diamondbacks have placed second baseman Ketel Marte on the 10-day injured list with wrist inflammation, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets. They also recalled infielder/outfielder Josh VanMeter and right-hander Joel Payamps, and optioned lefty Joe Mantiply.

The Diamondbacks are arguably the majors’ most disappointing team at an NL-worst 15-28, and with their playoff hopes all but dead, it’s possible we have seen the last of Marte in 2020. His presence was among the reasons Arizona was a popular pick as a contender entering this year. After all, just a season ago, Marte posted an MVP-level 7.1 fWAR with a .329/.389/.592 line and 32 home runs and 10 stolen bases in 628 plate appearances.

On the heels of last season’s tremendous performance, there wasn’t much reason to believe Marte would fall off dramatically this year. But he, like his team, has. Thanks in part to a significant decrease in walk percentage (8.4 to 2.9) and a massive drop in power (.264 ISO versus .117), he has hit a relatively underwhelming .290/.342/.407 with two homers and a single steal over 173 PA. Marte has also endured a roughly 6 percent decrease in hard-hit rate, per FanGraphs, and has seen his expected weighted on-base average fall from .379 to .327.

Starling Marte, Archie Bradley Drawing Trade Interest

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10:58PM: The Diamondbacks informed teams earlier this month that they were open to discussing almost anyone on the roster, the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro reports.  Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, and Christian Walker were among the club’s few untouchables.

6:14PM: With a 1-10 record over their last 11 games, the Diamondbacks are listening to offers heading into the trade deadline.  The Snakes are “open” to discussing such major names as Starling Marte and Archie Bradley, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link).  In a longer subscription-only notes post, Rosenthal reports that the Astros have shown interest in Bradley, while the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports that the Yankees have “checked in” on Marte’s availability.

While the Yankees are loaded with outfielders on paper, injuries to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have thinned the depth, and Aaron Hicks just left today’s game with a potential injury to his leg.  Marte would presumably immediately take over as the everyday center fielder, with Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman, Clint Frazier, and Hicks if he’s healthy all handling corner outfield (and maybe DH alongside Mike Ford) duties until Judge and Stanton return.

Marte would also provide New York with potential longer-term help, as his contract contains a $12.5MM club option ($1MM buyout) for the 2021 season.  Barring something unforeseen, the Yankees would surely exercise that option rather than let Marte leave for nothing, though they could potentially pick up Marte’s option and then flip him in another trade.  Or, having Marte around to provide All-Star level production for at least one year could make the Yankees more open to moving Tauchman or Frazier in a deal this winter.  (Assuming, hypothetically, that neither would be included as part of a Marte trade with Arizona in the first place.)  Adding yet another outfielder with control could also spell the end of Gardner’s long tenure in the Bronx, as Gardner will himself be a free agent this winter if the Yankees decline their $10MM option on his services for 2021.

“The Yankees are believed to not want to add much, if any salary,” Sherman writes, which could be a complicating factor in a potential Marte trade.  The veteran is earning the prorated portion of an original $11.5MM salary, and is owed a little under $2MM for the remainder of the 2020 campaign.

It was a little more than seven months ago that Marte was part of another major swap, coming to the D’Backs from the Pirates in a trade that Arizona thought would bolster the lineup of a potential contender.  While Marte has done his part (entering today with a .322/.396/.458 slash line over 134 PA), the Diamondbacks as a whole have underachieved, leading to the team’s pivot to being deadline sellers.

The Astros were already known to be looking at Robbie Ray as a potential addition, and now have apparently cast their eyes towards another arm in Bradley.  Like Marte, Bradley is also controlled through 2021, as Bradley has one more year of arbitration eligibility and should be due for a nice raise on his $4.1MM salary for 2020.  The Astros could see Bradley as a boost to both their 2020 and 2021 teams, as Roberto Osuna’s uncertain injury situation might yet lead to Osuna missing 2021 due to Tommy John surgery.

The righty has performed well as Arizona’s closer, posting a 3.60 ERA, 10.8 K/9, and 4.00 K/BB rate over 10 innings entering today’s play.  While Bradley hasn’t surrendered any homers, Statcast indicates that Bradley has enjoyed some good luck (a .318 wOBA that is far beneath his .418 xwOBA) considering all the hard contact he allows.

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