Diamondbacks’ sensational stars out for two weeks after adding them to Injury List but this would be decided…
The Arizona Diamondbacks lost two-time All-Star Ketel Marte to an ankle injury on August 10. Marte attempted to play through the pain but re-aggravated the sprain and landed on the 10-day IL on August 18. After nearly three weeks on the shelf, the Diamondbacks are welcoming back their star infielder.
Arizona activated Marte from the injured list on Friday, according to Diamondbacks insider Jesse Friedman on X. The 10-year veteran has “been cleared for complete baseball activity,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said, per MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM on X.
Lovullo acknowledged that Marte has “been busting his butt to make today happen.” And while the team would monitor Marte’s batting practice and pregame work, the Diamondbacks manager said it was all but certain that the team would have its starting second baseman back in the lineup on Friday, per MLB on Sirius.
Marte is enjoying another excellent season in the desert. The 30-year-old switch hitter leads the Diamondbacks in home runs (30), batting average (.298), slugging percentage (.560), OPS (.930), total bases (244) and bWAR (6.0). He’s second on the team in RBI (81), runs scored (81), hits (130), on-base percentage (.370) and OPS+ (155). He made his second career All-Star Game this season.
He was originally hurt when Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs slid into second base in a game on August 10, awkwardly pinning Marte’s ankle. He then landed on the injured list after attempting to pinch hit against the Tampa Bay Rays a week later.
The Diamondbacks had hoped Marte could return for the team’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants on September 3. But it now looks like he’ll be ready to go when Arizona opens a three-game set against the Houston Astros on Friday.
Marte is obviously a key part of the lineup and has helped the Diamondbacks play their way back into the postseason picture. The team is a scorching hot 30-14 since returning from the All-Star break, which is the second-best record in MLB during that span.
Unfortunately Arizona hasn’t been able to make up significant ground in the National League West as the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers have the third-best record since the Midsummer Classic at 28-15. And the San Diego Padres are the hottest team in baseball during that stretch with a 30-13 record.
Entering play on Friday the Diamondbacks are 5.5 games behind the Dodgers in the division. Arizona currently owns the second NL Wild Card berth with a 2.5 game lead over the New York Mets. They’re half a game behind the Padres for the top Wild Card spot.
Marte’s return could spark the Diamondbacks as they fight to make the playoffs down the stretch. Once they reach, they know Marte can dominate. He owns the record for the longest postseason hitting streak, which reached 20 straight games in Game four of the 2023 World Series.
