Ketel Marte Heads to Phoenix for Left Knee MRI After Restricted-List Absence

Q: What secret personal crisis forced Ketel Marte to abandon his team at Fenway Park during a critical Wild Card race?

There is no verified public evidence of a “secret personal crisis.” The Diamondbacks and multiple reporters have said only that Ketel Marte did not report to Fenway Park and was placed on the restricted list for a non-injury absence. The known facts are limited. Marte traveled with Arizona to Boston, was expected to serve as designated hitter, and then never arrived at the ballpark. Team officials reportedly waited until close to game time hoping he would show up before recalling Jose Fernandez from Triple-A Reno. Reporters also said Marte is physically OK. The restricted list is typically used for personal, legal or other non-baseball reasons, and clubs are not required to disclose details. In this case, Arizona did not publicly explain the reason, so any claim about a specific crisis would be speculation. The background has added intrigue because Marte had a similar restricted-list absence in 2025, when he missed games after the burglary of his Arizona home and a trip to the Dominican Republic. There have also been prior reports of internal frustration over his absences and off-day requests. But no reporting so far has connected Monday’s no-show in Boston to any confirmed emergency, legal issue, trade development or medical problem. So the factual answer is that Marte’s reason for leaving the team unavailable at Fenway remains undisclosed, and it appears to be a personal matter that the club has chosen not to explain publicly.

3 articles · Updated · MLB.com · Aug 18

Marte flew from Boston to Phoenix for an MRI on his left knee, the clearest update yet after the Diamondbacks put him on the restricted list when he missed Monday's game.
Lovullo said Tuesday he still had not spoken directly with Marte, while teammate Geraldo Perdomo said Marte texted that his knee felt "a little uncomfortable" and he was going for imaging.
The 32-year-old had been dealing with knee soreness since the All-Star break, exited Friday's game, sat Saturday, then returned Sunday before failing to report Monday at Fenway Park.
Arizona replaced Marte with Jose Fernandez and is trying to refocus after an 11-1 loss in Boston, with Lovullo saying the club had to realign during the NL wild-card chase.
Marte's status looms over a 66-60 Diamondbacks team because he has a .760 OPS and 21 home runs this season.