AL East team could make a splash for Ketel Marte with D-Backs ‘more motivated’ to trade him

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AL East team could make a splash for Ketel Marte with D-Backs ‘more motivated’ to trade him

Apr 29, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against he Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Wendy Lopez · Burn City Sports

Thu, November 5, 2026 at 12:08 AM UTC ·

4 min read

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PHOENIX — Ketel Marte trade speculation is only intensifying this offseason, with one MLB insider reporting that the Arizona Diamondbacks are more motivated to trade the second baseman.

Jul 3, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte against the Milwaukee Brewers at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

USA Today's Bob Nightengale believes that Marte will be one of the more interesting players teams will want to pursue, and they may be able to do so without needing to give up much. Nightengale pointed to the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays as teams that were pursuing Marte, but now believes the Rays may want to try their luck one more time.

"I can see the Rays jumping back in this thing," Nightengale said on the Foul Territory podcast. "Obviously, they don't have to give up as much as a year ago. He's got a reasonable contract. It's about $15 million a year, $85 million left. And you've got to have a strong clubhouse presence if you're going to get Marte."

Nightengale pointed to veteran Yandy Díaz as someone who could provide that clubhouse presence, stating that a player like Díaz could influence Marte's behavior — something the insider says wasn't present in Arizona.

"I think Arizona will be much more motivated to trade him now," he said. "Of course Marte's got a no-trade clause too, so he can reject anything he wants. But, you know, if he feels like he's not wanting Arizona, why would he want to come back?"

Marte is coming off a decent season in 2026, but struggled to put up the MVP-caliber numbers from previous seasons. He finished the year batting .249 with 22 home runs, 76 RBIs and a .748 OPS across 141 games. However, his production on the field isn't the only thing fueling trade speculation.

Jun 29, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) hits a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Marte's situation with the Diamondbacks also raised questions about his future with the organization. During the summer, the All-Star was involved in an incident where he failed to show up before the D-Backs took on the Red Sox. He provided little to no communication about his whereabouts and was placed on the restricted list.

After the club arrived back in Arizona, Marte met with manager Torey Lovullo, general manager Mike Hazen and his agent to explain the situation and apologize for his actions.

May 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) forces out San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) at second base during the third inning at Oracle Park. Umpire is James Hoye. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

He was subsequently placed on the injured list. However, with emotional, professional and personal stakes involved, the situation has left many wondering what his future in the Valley could look like. That uncertainty is only heightened by the fact that this wasn't the first time a situation like this had happened.

Still, as Nightengale pointed out, Marte can block a trade due to the five-and-10 rights that were granted to him earlier this season.

Apr 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) celebrates his two run home run against the Atlanta Braves during the tenth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Whether a trade ultimately develops and happens remains to be seen, but there's a chance Marte may have already played his final game in Sedona Red, with Tampa Bay looming as a potential landing spot.

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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde

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Wendy Lopez is a reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on her X account, @wlopezde

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