Diamondbacks' Torey Lovullo Facing Backlash After Ketel Marte News

Diamondbacks' Torey Lovullo Facing Backlash After Ketel Marte News originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Arizona Diamondbacks are having a disappointing season after entering with postseason expectations, ultimately deciding to sell at the trade deadline.

Despite the team underachieving, Ketel Marte remains one of the best second basemen in MLB and has emerged as a superstar.

The 31-year-old veteran has spent the last nine seasons in Arizona, leading the team to the World Series in 2023 and collecting three All-Star selections over his tenure.

Marte was rewarded for his consistent offensive production in early April when he signed a six-year, $116.5 million contract extension with the Diamondbacks, keeping him with the franchise through the 2030 season.

Ketel Marte’s Post–All-Star Break Absence Adds Tension Inside Clubhouse

During the All-Star break, Marte’s home in Scottsdale, Arizona was burglarized while he was in Atlanta for the All-Star Game. He reported losing approximately $400,000 worth of items and was placed on the restricted list by the Diamondbacks that Friday, missing three games against the St. Louis Cardinals.

However, according to The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, Marte was actually still in the Dominican Republic during that time, which upset teammates who were fighting to remain in the playoff hunt so the team wouldn’t sell at the deadline—which they ultimately did.

Fans Call Out Torey Lovullo

Upon learning about Marte’s actions, many fans were upset with manager Torey Lovullo for coddling the star and not disciplining him for what was perceived as selfish behavior.

"What’s this say about Torey as well?" asked a fan.

Another added, "Why is Torey not catching more heat from this..? Marte may be all those things you mentioned, but let’s get some reporting on how Torey has handled this."

"Fire Torey and trade Marte. This is ridiculous," wrote one more.

One fan asked, "Who contributed to his coddling more? Torey or management?"

"Hopefully now that this is out, it's a learning moment for all. Torey to stop coddling him and Marte to man up," said another.

Diamondbacks Facing Offseason Decision on Marte's Future

Lovullo has consistently shown support for Marte, including during a game against the Chicago White Sox in late June when a fan made an offensive remark about Marte’s late mother. Lovullo immediately stepped in to console his second baseman and helped ensure the fan was ejected.

On the field, Marte has continued to produce, posting a .296 batting average, .955 OPS, 23 home runs, and 56 RBIs across 89 games. Many organizations would be willing to add Marte’s production to the roster in an offseason trade if Arizona is unwilling to fix the growing tension between the two sides.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.