During the Arizona Diamondbacks' visit to Fenway Park during their playoff chase, many Boston Red Sox fans likely hoped to get a look at fan-favorite trade target Ketel Marte. The Red Sox made a push for the second baseman over the offseason, but since the Diamondbacks requested Marcelo Mayer and more for him, nothing came of it.
Marte was also nowhere to be found before game time, despite arriving in Boston with the team. Arizona released its lineup mere minutes before the start of the game, shortly after it placed Marte on the restricted list. The Diamondbacks expected him to come to the game and serve as the designated hitter for the night, but he never came (per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic).
After the game — an 11-1 rout by the Red Sox — an emotional Torey Louvullo addressed his star infielder's absence. He said Marte had been dealing with a personal matter, which the tears in his eyes reinforced.
"I'm sure in time we'll start to uncover, unravel some information... yeah I knew there was something going on today when I met with [reporters] but I still believed he was going to be here, he just didn't show up," Louvullo said. "...I just was doing my best to reach out to him and there was very little coming back."
Diamondbacks infielder and former Red Sox trade target Ketel Marte misses series-opening game at Fenway Park with no notice
Torey Lovullo said Ketel Marte is dealing with a personal issue and that "very little was coming back" while attempting to reach him.
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) August 18, 2026
Lovullo said he learned Marte might not show up this morning and emphasized his love and care for him. pic.twitter.com/Dvjolmw9oG
Marte's behavior and communication have been issues in the Diamondbacks clubhouse before, but Louvullo emphasized that this is a first-of-its-kind incident and that he doesn't know when Marte will return. The manager also noted that he and his players were concerned for Marte, saying: "once we knew he was ok, everybody relaxed and started to focus on the game."
Over the winter, the Red Sox were looking at Marte as the long-term solution they've needed for years at second base. He's a consistent hitter who can hit from both sides of the plate and his numbers from 2025 (.283/.376/.517 slash line, 28 home runs, 85th percentile strikeout rate, 84th percentile walk rate) would've fit Boston's lineup well. He's regressed down to a .249/.314/.446 slash line with 78 strikeouts over 118 games this year.
If Marte is going through a serious personal issue, he deserves some grace from his team and fans, as everyone would. But communication is important, and as someone in a position of leadership on his team, he should be upfront with his manager unless he was physically unable to do so.
Red Sox execs, particularly Craig Breslow, have taken criticism for their poor communication over the years. The Rafael Devers situation is a prime example. Marte has a no-trade clause on his contract and may not want to come to Boston in the first place, but the Red Sox should avoid for someone who might only make their communication issues worse.
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