Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte has apologized for his absence from a recent game, which caused significant disruption and speculation around the team. In his first public comments on the matter, Marte stated that the decision to not attend the game in Boston was his own, made after waking up in considerable pain and feeling frustrated.
"In that instance, I failed him by not showing up," Marte told reporters through an interpreter, according to the Associated Press. "That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I just couldn’t react. No one made the decision for me. I’m the one who made the decision to not show up."
Marte also expressed his intention to apologize directly to his teammates. "I’m going to stand in front of my teammates like a man," he said. "I don’t want any of my teammates to go through what I went through that morning."
The incident led to the Diamondbacks initially placing Marte on the restricted list. The team later moved him to the 10-day injured list, citing mild left knee inflammation.
Adding to the confusion surrounding his absence, Marte was reportedly seen at the Talking Stick Resort casino near the team's complex during the game. When asked about this at the time, manager Torey Lovullo stated that Marte was "free to do whatever he wants." Addressing the casino visit, Marte clarified that it occurred during his "personal time."