Could the Atlanta Braves make a trade for Arizona Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte? Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic are not expecting a deal to come to fruition, something they mentioned in a recent article. The MLB insiders wrote that Atlanta would be hesitant to move young starting pitching — which is what the D’Backs are expected to want in return for Marte. Rosenthal further addressed the subject while speaking on Foul Territory.
“Marte is signed for six more years,” Rosenthal said. “People go, ‘Oh, that’s too long for a guy that’s 32 years old.’ Yes, but his contract is so affordable that, as we wrote today, even if he’s productive for only three or four more years, he probably would pay for himself in that regard.
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“The difference with Marte is the Diamondbacks want young pitching in return. They aren’t going to trade him, I believe, unless they get that young pitching. But he’s a guy they are seemingly motivated to move.”
Marte, who would represent an upgrade over Ozzie Albies at second base, is likely a player the Braves have some level of interest in. If Arizona will only trade him for young pitching, though, Atlanta may need to go in a different direction.
Shortstop Bo Bichette was also previously mentioned as an option for the Braves given his willingness to move to second base. In all reality, second base is not a mandatory need for Atlanta. While Albies has declined, he is still a reliable second baseman. The team does not have to replace him this offseason.
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If the Diamondbacks would be willing to listen on other areas of the roster, perhaps the Braves would have more of a realistic opportunity of acquiring Ketel Marte. For now, Atlanta will probably end up keeping Albies at second or trying to bring in another player.
As for the Diamondbacks, Rosenthal’s report suggests that they will still look to trade him if a deal makes sense. Young starting pitching is an incredibly valuable asset, though, so one has to imagine that many teams will be hesitant to fully engage in trade talks as a result.
With that being said, Marte is an All-Star caliber player who can anchor a lineup. He would help many teams take big steps forward, so a trade is certainly not off the table.
It just likely won’t happen with the Braves.