GM Hazen: D-Backs will be looking for more from Ketel Marte in 2023
MILWAUKEE — Second baseman Ketel Marte’s season ended much like the rest of his year played out: more quietly than the Diamondbacks would have liked.
Marte landed on the injured list last week with an unspecified injury, an indication that it could be COVID-related, meaning he will finish with a slash line of .240/.321/.407. It is arguably his least productive year since he came to the Diamondbacks prior to the 2017 season.
Marte’s numbers looked far better in July, but he went just 33 for 177 (.186) with two homers over his final 49 games.
General Manager Mike Hazen said he appreciated the fact that Marte “grinded” to stay in the lineup despite injuries, including a pair of stretches in which he served as the designated hitter while a tender hamstring recovered.
But Hazen acknowledged the Diamondbacks had hoped for more from Marte, who in March received a five-year, $76 million extension that kicks in next season.
“We’ve had those conversations with him, too, that, as our best player, there’s periods of time where we want him to carry us,” Hazen said. “And we need him to carry us a little bit more. Not that anyone carries you for long swaths of the baseball season in a given year, but I think that’s something we’re looking at both offensively and defensively.”
Marte finished fourth in MVP voting in 2019, when he hit .329/.389/.592 with 32 homers.
Marte’s defense suffered this year, as well, despite a move back to second base. Both his range and athleticism appeared to take steps back. Hazen said he believes Marte can improve next year.
“We’re talking about not having the shift next year and what’s that going to mean at second base,” Hazen said. “That’s going to put more pressure on our middle infielders for sure. That’s going to be the focus going into the offseason. He’s always worked. He’s committed to doing all these things. I’m confident he’s going to.”
‘Big collision’
Third baseman Emmanuel Rivera suffered his season-ending injury in an unusual way, colliding with teammate Stone Garrett during batting practice during the final homestand at Chase Field.
Rivera came away with a fracture in his left wrist, and though he tried to play through the injury he was placed on the injured list on Sunday when the club was in San Francisco.
“Stone was doing his job and shagging balls in the outfield and playing them live,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “Rivera was kind of out of his sightline. Stone came full speed and they ran into each other. I didn’t see it, but I heard it was a pretty big collision.”
Lovullo said X-rays came back negative. He was out of the lineup for four games, then went 1 for 3 on Friday in San Francisco.
“You talk about toughness, he was playing with a broken wrist,” Lovullo said.
Rivera, whom the Diamondbacks acquired on Aug. 1 from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-hander Luke Weaver, hit .227/.304/.424 with six home runs for the Diamondbacks while playing solid defense at third base.
POC’s mark
Patrick O’Connell, the club’s senior director of player and media relations, is leaving the organization at the end of the season after an 11-year run with the Diamondbacks.
Lovullo credited O’Connell for never hesitating to speak up when offering guidance on how to handle situations with reporters.
“There are three to five guys behind the scenes who help me stand here and sound like I know what I’m talking about,” Lovullo said. “They hold me accountable. I think, of the group, Pat has done the best job of holding me accountable to the things that I need to do to get better. He’s fearless when he wants to call me out on something.
“He’s always on a quest to make the people around him better, me included. I want to thank him for that.”
O’Connell is taking a position with a local sports marketing firm.
Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680 or nick.piecoro@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickpiecoro.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: GM Hazen: D-Backs will be looking for more from Ketel Marte in 2023
