Lovullo Defends Ketel Marte Casino Sighting as Diamondbacks Stay 1 Game Out

Q: What undisclosed personal secret forced Ketel Marte into an unexcused absence before his controversial casino appearance?

It has not been publicly disclosed. Reporting only says Marte missed the Diamondbacks’ game because of a “personal matter,” and team officials have repeatedly said they either did not know the full reason at the time or were keeping it private. The available reporting points to two overlapping issues: a personal matter and a left knee problem. Marte returned to Arizona for an MRI, which showed inflammation in his knee, and he later was moved from the restricted list to the injured list. Lovullo also suggested Marte had frustration related to the knee, along with “a few things” he wanted to keep personal. No credible report in the material provided identifies any specific secret or personal crisis that “forced” the absence. The Diamondbacks’ president even described the situation as a “complete mystery” and “bizarre” before the team met with Marte, and teammates said they had little or no explanation. So the direct answer is that the undisclosed personal reason remains unknown to the public.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 22

Video showed injured Ketel Marte at a local casino Friday night while Arizona beat Cincinnati 9-0, and manager Torey Lovullo said the second baseman was "free to do whatever" as long as he reports for rehab work.
The stance reflects club rules for injured-list players, who generally are not required to attend night games because their rehab work is usually completed earlier in the day.
The sighting came days after Marte was scratched minutes before Monday's game, briefly placed on the restricted list and then shifted Thursday to the injured list after a meeting with team officials.
Lovullo said he had felt "betrayed" and pitcher Kevin Ginkel called the episode disappointing, underscoring tension around a player Arizona still needs for its playoff push.
Marte is hitting .249/.314/.446 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs, and the Diamondbacks improved to 68-61 on Friday to remain 1 game out of the final NL wild-card spot.