The Arizona Diamondbacks are not actively shopping All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, but teams have been calling about him.
And given their deficiencies on the mound, the Diamondbacks have to listen, as general manager Mike Hazen told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Tuesday.
“It’s actually started a while ago, honestly,” Hazen said. “It is what happens, right?
“He is one of our best players. We have some of the top position players in all of baseball on our roster, and we need those players to be good next year. I have to still do my job … and we’ll hopefully have choices to make. I have to listen. I have to listen to what people say.”
Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen on Ketel Marte and trade speculation: “I have to listen to what people say.”
He told @BurnsAndGambo from MLB GM meetings in Las Vegas that the club has to be “open-minded” with how much pitching they are focused on adding. pic.twitter.com/yH1qlj1tLP
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) November 11, 2025
Hazen repeated a sentiment that the organization has to be “open-minded” about how to address its pitching problems.
Arizona scored the most runs in MLB over the past two years and missed the postseason both times. Its run prevention has not been good enough in either season — which involved different pitching coaches in Brent Strom (2024) and Brian Kaplan (2025).
Zac Gallen is a free agent and Corbin Burnes is not going to pitch in the first half of the year (Tommy John surgery), so the D-backs need to add starting pitching this winter.
Hazen brought up the most recent postseason and how much pitching gets highlighted during the most critical time of year. The Diamondbacks wouldn’t have reached the 2023 World Series without Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Gallen and a strong bullpen.
The GM also said pitching is the most expensive commodity on the market, and that is where all of this is relevant to Marte.
The Diamondbacks only have so many players who would bring in frontline pitching, particularly with years of team control to build around. Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo can be considered untouchable, but Marte is not in that bucket.
“There’s times where I’ve shut everything down at the door, but there’s other times where I can’t,” Hazen said. “I’m not in the position to do that.”
That doesn’t mean a deal is imminent or even likely, but with a flawed roster, the Diamondbacks are going to be creative on how to build the most well-rounded team.
On an MLB Network appearance, Hazen fielded more questions about Marte, saying “we’ll see where the conversations go” but a Marte trade is “mostly unlikely for it to happen.”
“It’s mostly unlikely for that stuff to happen.”
– D-backs EVP & GM Mike Hazen on trading their star players like Ketel Marte
MLB Network + @SageUSAmerica pic.twitter.com/2I5maLUzrU
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) November 11, 2025
Marte, 32, is under contract for another six years (including a player option), and his salary is considered team friendly for much of it, including $16 million next year.
The switch-hitter just won his second straight Silver Slugger award as the top offensive second baseman in the league.
He is nearing 10-and-5 rights, which allows players with 10 years of service time and five years with the same organization to veto trades. Hazen said that is not a concern.
