The absence of Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte is the latest problem in a strange season for the three-time All-Star.
As the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season gets closer to entering its final month, the Arizona Diamondbacks increasingly have little room for error, and now they have another problem on their hands.
On Thursday, the Diamondbacks placed second baseman Ketel Marte on the 10-day Injured List due to left knee inflammation, but the concern goes beyond his injury status.
Disappearing act
Marte was scheduled to be Arizona’s designated hitter in its series opener against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Tuesday, but with little time to go until the first pitch, the three-time All-Star was nowhere to be found.
Naturally, this caused concern, and the Diamondbacks were blown out, 11-1. On Thursday, Marte and team officials met at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the team's spring training facility near Scottsdale, Ariz., that both the Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies benefit from.
Marte’s meeting with the team was largely kept under wraps, and his absence was also attributed to a personal matter. The nature of the situation is cryptic, and it is worth wondering what the rest of the season looks like for Marte.
Why it's troublesome for the team
As previously mentioned, the Diamondbacks have little room for error. After losing two out of three games to Boston, coupled with the San Diego Padres’ recent surge, Arizona finds itself in third place in the National League West Division and fourth place in the NL Wild Card standings.
Only three teams from each league can secure a Wild Card spot, and while the Diamondbacks are only one game behind the Padres to recapture third place, any slippage can doom them further. During this time of year, and with the current status of this team, Marte’s presence is arguably needed now more than ever.
Through 118 games played, the 32-year-old has logged a .249 batting average, a .314 on-base percentage, a .446 slugging percentage and a .760 OPS with 21 home runs. This iteration of the Diamondbacks is heavily reliant on offense to secure wins, and without Marte in the lineup, that offense takes a significant blow.
Marte’s absence goes beyond the immediate future of the club's postseason hopes; it also begs the question of his future in Arizona. Marte found himself amid trade rumors predating the 2026 season, and though he is still in the early stages of a six-year, $116.5 million deal, his tenure with the Diamondbacks may not last nearly as long.
It is not worth speculating what Marte is dealing with off the field beyond the inflammation in his knee; that is his business. All that can be observed is the baseball-related ramifications of his absence for a team that is trying to keep its head above water.
It is possible that Marte can return to the lineup sooner rather than later and help the Diamondbacks book a spot in October. But it also is possible that this situation can break them. Only time will tell.
