The bizarre situation involving Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks took another strange turn on Friday night, with photos allegedly showing the three-time All-Star at an Arizona casino.
Social media exploded with pictures allegedly depicting Marte playing roulette at a casino in Scottsdale, Ariz. Salt River Fields, the Diamondbacks’ spring training and rehab site, is roughly three miles from Talking Stick Resort.
🚨 Ketel Marte spotted at Talking Stick Resort during tonight’s Arizona Diamondbacks game 🚨 #dbacks pic.twitter.com/n3UsCpUZwB
— Dbacks Territory (@dbacksterritory) August 22, 2026
Speaking with reporters following Friday’s 9-0 victory over the Reds, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that Marte is “free to do whatever he wants.”
“As long as he wakes up tomorrow morning and posts and gets his work done at Salt River, which I am certain he will, that’s all that matters to me right now,” Lovullo added.
As of publication, neither Marte nor Diamondbacks lead baseball executive Mike Hazen had addressed the photos.
What to know about Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte’s viral casino photos
Before going any further, let’s address the elephant in the room. Major League Baseball players can play casino games such as blackjack or roulette as long as they don’t do so during team activities or responsibilities. In other words, Marte likely would not face league discipline if the accusations were confirmed.
The key word is “likely,” because it is unclear whether the Diamondbacks would argue that he left his rehab stint to play at a casino. However, as he is not on the active 26-man roster, there appears to be a gray area.
Friday’s allegations only heighten the mounting questions about Marte’s long-term future in Arizona. He went missing earlier this week during a road trip to Boston and did not tell the team that he was returning to Arizona. Marte had previously scrubbed his social media of all Diamondbacks-related content.
Marte also left the team without permission last summer, traveling to the Dominican Republic after a home burglary. Although some were understandably sympathetic, others on social media and around baseball took issue with his trip because the incident took place in Arizona, not the Dominican Republic.
The Diamondbacks initially placed Marte on the restricted list before officially moving him to the injured list on Thursday. He has battled a lingering knee injury and is working through one of his worst seasons, with a .760 OPS that marks his lowest since 2022.
Marte’s contract could complicate a potential offseason trade, as he has a full no-trade clause via his 10-and-5 rights. He is owed roughly $86.5 million over the next five seasons and also has an $11.5 million player option for 2031.
Arizona is 68-61 and one game behind the rival Padres for the NL’s third and final Wild Card spot.
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