This Orioles-Diamondbacks trade proposal would replace Jackson Holliday with Ketel Marte

The Baltimore Orioles are expected to play it safe in free agency, with top pitchers like Tarik Skubal, Michael King and Freddy Peralta probably out of their price range. That does not mean Baltimore won't look to strike on the trade front, with beleaguered Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte on their radar, per MLB insider Mike Rodriguez.

MLB.com's Jake Rill adds that "no deal is imminent," but Baltimore clearly has a desire to improve its lineup, which underperformed across the board in 2026, Pete Alonso notwithstanding. Marte has four more years on his contract, plus an $11.5 million player option in 2031. Typically a player of Marte's caliber, on such a team-friendly contract, wouldn't be made available. That said, age and clubhouse concerns are a factor, and it seems the Diamondbacks are eager for a reset.

This Orioles-Diamondbacks trade proposal would send Ketel Marte to Baltimore

Both sides get something meaningful out of this trade.

Arizona breathes a sigh of relief, offloading the Marte baggage. And, since Marte is still quite valuable, the Diamondbacks add two talented young players in Coby Mayo and Luis De Leon.

First base was a black hole in the D'backs lineup last season. Mayo, still just 24 years old, put a few pieces together offensively last season. He cranked 24 home runs with a .759 OPS and 112 OPS+. He has experience at both corner infield spots, but Arizona can mitigate his defensive workload with a full-time spot at first base.

Luis De Leon, a 23-year-old southpaw, made his MLB debut late in the season, with a 1.93 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across 9.1 innings of relief. That's a small and noisy sample size, but De Leon — Baltimore's No. 8 prospect, per MLB Pipeline — could have mid-rotation equity at best, or mid-leverage reliever equity at worst.

Arizona's pitching staff needs a massive facelift. De Leon, under cheap club control through 2032, can develop into a crucial piece of the Diamondbacks' future.

Why the Orioles risk it for Ketel Marte

Marte posted a .748 OPS last season, his lowest since 2022. He's 33 years old, under contract (potentially) through his age-37 campaign. He has taken multiple unexecused leaves of absence in recent years, causing palpable friction with the Diamondbacks front office. So why should the Orioles make this trade?

Well, Marte is an elite talent. The numbers last season undersell his ability, yet he still cranked 22 home runs with 76 RBI. That's rare production at second base, where Baltimore had the fourth-worst OPS (.628) positionally last season. Jackson Holliday was meant to be a franchise cornerstone, but three years of subpar production forces Baltimore to consider its alternatives.

There are few more well-rounded infielders in MLB than Marte, who can hit for average and power, with excellent glovework up the middle to boot. The age concerns are valid, but Marte doesn't have too many red flags under the hood. His bat speed was in the 83rd percentile last season, per Baseball Savant, with elite expected average (.280) and slugging (.461), which points to bad luck in 2026 and imminent positive regression in 2027.

Marte rarely strikes out. He has great vision and composure at the plate, able to work deep into counts and pounce on mistake pitches. When he's healthy and engaged, there are few second basemen who can compare. His relatively cheap contract, which peaks at $22 million annually, helps offset any age-related anxiety. He is underpaid relative to his production, and there's every reason to believe he has a few more plus-impact seasons in the tank.

The locker room and off-field stuff is alarming, and the Orioles need to do their background research, but Marte has done nothing but produce over the years. If anything, he should relish a change of scenery and an organization that embraces him, warts and all. Baltimore can give him a fresh perspective, hopefully.

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