With Ketel Marte not joining the Arizona Diamondbacks for their game against the Boston Red Sox, Torey Lovullo was visibly emotional when discussing his absence.
Marte reportedly missed the game due to an undisclosed personal matter and is considered day-to-day going forward.
While some had initially suggested that Marte and the team were at odds, Lovullo’s reaction to his absence shows the seriousness of the situation.
Torey Lovullo gets emotional discussing Ketel Marte absence
In a post-game interview after the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 11-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox, Torey Lovullo explained Ketel Marte’s absence.
While he couldn’t divulge the exact reason why Marte was unavailable to play, Lovullo sent a message of love and care to him and wanted everyone to know that he is alright.
“No, not really. I love him, and I care for him. He’ll be okay. He is fine. I want you guys to know that I just care about him. So does everybody in that room.”
Considering Lovullo was tight-lipped about Marte’s absence, one has to imagine that the second baseman was dealing with a private matter.
It’s clear that whatever the situation is for Marte, it has impacted the rest of his team very heavily, even leaving Lovullo in tears.
It’s good to know that Marte himself is alright and isn’t facing any injury concerns at the moment, as it would have meant bad news for the Diamondbacks at this point in the season.
The Diamondbacks haven’t had an excellent season, but still find themselves above .500 with a 66-59 record, even after their loss to the Red Sox.
Marte has been in good form for the Diamondbacks this season, with a batting average of .249, with 117 hits, 21 homers, 67 RBIs, and 65 runs scored across 118 games.
In his last game against the Atlanta Braves, Marte had a relatively quiet outing, going 0-3 at the plate with just one run scored.
Hopefully, whatever private matter Marte is dealing with is not too serious and can be quickly resolved, as the Diamondbacks would want him back and available to help close out the season.
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