Between the Ketel Marte situation and the Cardinals’ lackluster roster, now does not sound like an ideal time to be an Arizona sports fan.
Marte remains on the restricted list following his disappearance earlier this week, though he will reportedly eventually land on the injured list. The Arizona Diamondbacks still have not disclosed why the three-time All-Star went missing in Boston or why he traveled back to Arizona on his own., and he still has not rejoined the team.
Regardless of whether the Diamondbacks clean house this coming offseason, an attempted Marte trade feels inevitable. The final call would likely come down to him because he has full 10-and-5 rights and a no-trade clause. As of Friday afternoon, he had not publicly requested a trade.
But if Marte is open to leaving Arizona, then Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals must make the call.Â
Should the Royals pursue a trade for Ketel Marte?
Before going any further, we must start with Marte’s contract situation. He’s owed roughly $86.5 million over the next five seasons, and that’s not including his $11.5 million player option for 2031. So while he won’t necessarily come cheap, he’s also relatively affordable — and that’s not even considering the idea that Arizona would eat some of the money just to ensure he leaves.
The Royals desperately need to add a veteran bat this offseason, and not solely in the form of someone they could try to flip at the 2027 trade deadline. Marte would be a perfect fit as a middle-of-the-order bat with a history of power and getting on base.
Marte’s .760 OPS is his lowest in four years, but his .446 slugging percentage isn’t far off his lifetime .470 rate. He’s also recorded 47 extra-base hits (21 home runs, 23 doubles, and three triples) for a Diamondbacks team that is only one game out of a playoff spot. Of course, we’ll see if he even suits up for the D-Backs again, though neither side has publicly indicated that he’d sit out the rest of the season.
Any conversations regarding a Marte trade will obviously include valid concerns about his behavior and potential character issues. Keep in mind that this is the second time in 13 months he voluntarily left the Diamondbacks; Marte returned to the Dominican Republic last July following a home burglary at his Arizona home, and he later apologized.Â
Unlike the National League, the AL is wide open. We’ve only seen one American League team, the 2021-22 Astros, reach the World Series in consecutive years since 2016. So there is a window, especially considering that the AL Central has historically been extremely winnable even without a heavy budget.Â
Then again, that assumes there will even be a 2027 season, but we’re trying to look on the bright side for once. At this rate, though, the thing that might especially make Diamondbacks fans happy is if Marte’s next flight is to Missouri.
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