D-backs star Ketel Marte apologizes, explains recent absence - ESPN

PHOENIX — Ketel Marte is having one of the best seasons of his career on the field.

That hasn't stopped a fair amount of criticism for the Arizona Diamondbacks slugger off of it.

The All-Star second baseman apologized through an interpreter Monday for missing three games following the All-Star break after flying back to his home in the Dominican Republic — a situation that has apparently been festering in the clubhouse over the past month.

The 31-year-old said he initially expected to return to Phoenix immediately following the break but was «frustrated» and «in a bad spot» after he learned his residence in Scottsdale, Arizona, had been burglarized during the break, according to the interpreter.

The D-backs were playing a crucial stretch of games — fighting for playoff position ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Arizona placed Marte on the restricted list for the first two games of his absence and then he didn't play a third game after returning to the club.

In response to criticisms that he takes too many games off, Marte said he has dealt with injury issues and is following a plan designed by the training staff. Marte has missed 33 games this year, the majority of which were because of a hamstring injury.

«I know there's an elephant in the room and I'll just say what I want to say about it,» D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. «I know that Ketel talked to you guys and I'm proud of him for doing that. That's not easy for him to do. I know he showed some vulnerability and I'm really proud of him for digging in the way that he did.

»What I'll say about Ketel are the things that I know — he's a great teammate, he's a great young man, he plays hard every single day for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He just wants to win