PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks fans followed through with a standing ovation for star player Ketel Marte as he stepped up to the plate in Friday’s game against the Miami Marlins.
It was Marte’s first home plate appearance since an emotional night in Chicago on Tuesday, when Marte was brought to tears after a heckler mentioned his late mother.
Fans at Chase Field erupted in support of Marte as his name was called, giving him an extended ovation. Marte stepped out and acknowledged the crowd by raising his helmet and tapping on his chest.
The @Dbacks faithful show Ketel Marte some love 💜 pic.twitter.com/f5VKt93IBV
— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2025
Fans online brainstormed ways to stand up for him since the incident happened, whether that be with an ovation or by wearing pink to match Marte’s typical accessories.
Some fans organized online and handed out pink shirts outside the ballpark that read, “Ketel Is My MVP.” Pink was a prominent color in the crowd.
Shirts made it in! Still waiting to confirm where they’ll be handing them out. Reminder to WEAR PINK TONIGHT FOR THE @Dbacks GAME! #Dbacks #MLB pic.twitter.com/gznEHo7Wn8
— Neil Kucera (@NWKMF) June 27, 2025
Major League Baseball banned the heckler from its parks indefinitely, and Marte would like to put this all behind him.
“I want to thank all the fans who have been concerned about me,” Marte said in Spanish during an interview with Yancen Pujols. “They’re always yelling things at me, but I don’t mind. When it comes to my mom, that’s when the line gets crossed.’’
Fans from around the world rallied to donate more than $18,000 to the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation in honor of Marte and his mother, Elpidia Valdez. Marte’s mother died in a car accident in 2017, and he was playing in Chicago when it happened.
Donations came from more than 30 states and abroad, including from Asia, Europe and Australia, according to the Diamondbacks.
“I want to say thank you to all the fans that have really supported Ketel,” manager Torey Lovullo said pregame. “ I think it’s very powerful. … At the end of the day, we all want to be a better human being. Ketel didn’t react any other way than what his body told him to do. And he’s got an outpouring of support and I just appreciate what everybody’s done.”
