http:\/\/www.bozemandailychronicle.com offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.\n <\/p>\n
PHOENIX (AP) \u2014 The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the middle of a sizzling playoff race with 34 games remaining as of Friday, trying to eliminate distractions and play their best baseball as they work to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023.<\/p>\n
Ketel Marte has made that basically impossible.<\/p>\n
Four days after the three-time All-Star’s mysterious disappearance during a road trip in Boston<\/a>, the D-backs were still trying to figure out how to move forward after one of their best players essentially ghosted teammates and management during a crucial moment in the season.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce I saw what was unfolding, I became extremely frustrated,\u201d manager Torey Lovullo said. \u201cI felt betrayed. And that\u2019s a whole different type of pain and frustration. But I\u2019m through that.\u201d<\/p>\n Marte, D-backs brass meet on Thursday<\/p>\n Lovullo said he met with Marte on Thursday, along with general manager Mike Hazen and Marte\u2019s agent. The 32-year-old second baseman was put on the 10-day injured list<\/a> with left knee inflammation shortly after the meeting.<\/p>\n Lovullo didn’t get into many of the details of the discussion, but did say Marte had some frustration about his ailing knee. The switch-hitter was scheduled to be the team’s designated hitter on Monday night before his no-show.<\/p>\n Marte \u2014 who is hitting .249 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs this season \u2014 was not in the clubhouse during media availability on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s right ways to handle things and wrong ways to handle things,\u201d Lovullo said. \u201cI think the conclusion that was drawn up yesterday was that we could have been better. Ketel could have been better, specifically. Admittedly so.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to manage baseball games. I want to do what I love doing between the white lines and not have to answer these types of questions. … I don\u2019t love the drama that follows this ballclub. I want to be a good baseball team and we\u2019ve got to figure this out.\u201d<\/p>\n The D-backs might be more willing to deal with Marte’s baffling behavior because he’s currently the longest-tenured player on the team and one of the most productive hitters in franchise history. The Dominican has 1,215 hits and 189 homers since joining the club in 2017 and is generally well-liked in the clubhouse. He also is under contract through 2030 with a player option for 2031.<\/p>\n \u201cI love Ketel Marte \u2014 my relationship with him is not going to change,\u201d Lovullo said.<\/p>\n But there’s little doubt the mercurial Marte has put the franchise in a tough situation.<\/p>\n And it isn’t the first time he’s had a strange disappearance.<\/p>\n