Among the most significant considerations for the Arizona Diamondbacks this offseason is whether or not to trade All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale is reporting that there is motivation from the organization to do so.
The Diamondbacks will ask for a lot in return, but they are definitely motivated in moving him with $71 million remaining through 2030. If they don’t move him by mid-April, Marte will have 10-and-5 rights and a full no-trade provision.
Marte is nearing 10 years of major league service time, at which point his 10-and-5 rights (10 years of service time, five years on the same team) will allow him to veto any trade.
The switch-hitter would immediately become the biggest bat on the trade block if made available.
Marte has been one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball over the past couple seasons, is the longest-tenured Diamondback and is climbing franchise leaderboards. He made the All-Star team this past season, won a Silver Slugger award and he should receive down-ballot MVP votes after hitting 28 home runs with an .893 OPS in 2025. He did this after finishing third in the 2024 NL MVP race and leading the Diamondbacks to the 2023 World Series with an epic postseason.
Trading a player of his caliber would not come lightly, as finding equal value for superstars is difficult and can send a certain message to the clubhouse.
At the same time, Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported in July that Marte was not untouchable, noting the club was desperate for starting pitching and dealing him was a way to attain it. MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert recently wrote that the D-backs had no intentions of trading a core player like Marte, but the new report from Nightengale has recirculated the trade speculation.
There was some baggage that came out of this season for Marte. A report from AZCentral.com’s Nick Piecoro laid out that Marte’s requests for days off irking some in the organization. The report surfaced after he missed the first series of the second half, flying to the Dominican Republic and staying there after his home in the Valley had been burglarized.
Arizona Sports’ Dan Bickley reported that the team did not know he was going to the Dominican Republic, and that Marte asked for the first game of the second half off before knowing about his house.
“I obviously, due to the circumstances of my situation, got frustrated and was in a bad spot, but I truly want to apologize for my teammates and everybody else who has supported the team,” he said at the time.
General manager Mike Hazen said in August that he was not blind to having an imperfect clubhouse, but “you win with superstars in this league.”
Marte is 32 years old and signed a six-year extension with Arizona this past spring worth $116.5 million. He missed nearly a month with a hamstring strain in 2025 and was nursing some additional ailments at times throughout the season. The veteran started 99 games at second base and 21 as the designated hitter. Injury management has been part of the deal with him.
Diamondbacks’ need for pitching a factor in Ketel Marte decision
When the 20205 season ended, Hazen for a second straight year harped on run prevention, a focus on pitching and defense going into the winter. Arizona was the top-scoring team in the league over the past two years and missed the postseason both times.
The club has two open rotation spots with Zac Gallen a free agent and Merrill Kelly having been traded before he hit the open market. Corbin Burnes is hoping for an All-Star break return from Tommy John surgery, but a lot can happen until then.
Pitching development is going to receive a makeover, as Piecoro reported.
The Diamondbacks’ offensive core is Marte, Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo and Gabriel Moreno, all of whom are under team control for multiple years. Young major leaguers Blaze Alexander and Jordan Lawlar will continue to compete for opportunities, while there is a group of prospects getting closer to the big leagues such as Ryan Waldschmidt and Tommy Troy. The lineup depth going into next year has its questions, particularly at first base and the outfield — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is going to miss significant time recovering from a torn ACL.
Can the Diamondbacks muster enough offense if they trade Marte for pitching help? Is that the best way to add a potential top-end starter? Or, are the Diamondbacks better off keeping their core four bats together and finding starting pitching by pulling from their farm system?
With a payroll set to decline (but remain “competitive”) and holes on a team that made the postseason in 2023 and should have in 2024, the Diamondbacks have a tricky offseason to navigate as they look to return to contention.
