Diamondbacks owner, manager sound off on Ketel Marte AWOL drama: Consistent acts of immaturity

Ketel Marte’s relationship with Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo appears to be somewhat strained after the three-time All-Star second baseman endured a rocky season punctuated by an unexcused absence from the team in August.The Diamondbacks announced a two-year contract extension for Lovullo on Thursday, and he was asked how he plans to handle Marte in 2027.“I think what I would tell him is what I would tell every other player: the decisions you make are going to be on you now,” Lovullo said on the “Burns & Gambo Show” on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.“I’m going to eliminate protecting you the way I have.

And I will allow you to go out there and answer the questions on your own behalf instead of me protecting you.I think I would change my tune in that way.“I’ve taken the mindset that whenever anything goes wrong, it’s my fault.

And I’m going to protect these players like they’re my own boys.And at a certain point, I can’t do that anymore.

So I have to allow them to advocate for themselves in the proper space.That’s what I’ve learned over the past couple of years.”Marte batted .249 with 22 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .748 OPS in 141 games this season for the Diamondbacks, who finished two games behind the Phillies for the final wild-card spot in the National League.He also didn’t show up at Fenway Park for a game during a three-game series from Aug.

17-19 without informing Lovullo or the front office that he would be missing.The organization placed Marte on the 10-day injured list before he came back to the team on Aug.31.It marked the fourth time in the past four years that Marte went AWOL without the team’s knowledge.“It is not my job to micromanage the players.

It is Torey’s job to manage the players,” D’backs owner Ken Kendrick told Bruno and Gambo.“He’s going on record now in a way that you described.

And I hope that Ketel, if he is a Diamondback, will be the player that he has the talent to be.And I hope he wil...