As the Diamondbacks enter an offseason that’ll be focused on addressing the pitching staff, there’s been some speculation about them trading away a star hitter. Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote on Monday that the Diamondbacks could shop second baseman Ketel Marte before he gets to 10 years of service time and locks in full no-trade rights two weeks into next season. Under the CBA, any player with 10 years of service, the past five of which have come with one team, cannot be traded without their consent.
Arizona general manager Mike Hazen has addressed Marte’s status from this week’s GM Meetings. Hazen downplayed the idea that the Snakes were looking to move Marte, albeit with the caveat that he wouldn’t fully shut the door on conversations. “It’s what happens. Everyone checks in on your better players,” the GM told The Burns & Gambo Show on Arizona Sports. “They’re coming after your better players. … He’s one of our best players. We have some of the top position players in all of baseball on our roster and we need those players to be good next year.”
Hazen added that he “(has) to listen to what people say.” He noted that the team’s need for multiple arms in both the rotation and bullpen requires a general open-mindedness to trade conversations. However, it doesn’t seem they’re viewing a Marte deal as the best way to accomplish that. Hazen told The MLB Network’s Jon Morosi that while the club has gotten calls on Marte and their other star players, “it’s mostly unlikely” that a trade of that magnitude would happen.
The Diamondbacks have signed Marte to three separate extensions. The most recent of those came in April and has Marte signed through the 2031 season. There’d been trade speculation following midseason reports that some of the three-time All-Star’s teammates were frustrated with his work habits. Manager Torey Lovullo seemingly has a close relationship with Marte and defended him publicly. Hazen seemed similarly disinclined to trade the second baseman when asked about the possibility in August.
“Ketel is one of, if not our best player,” Hazen told Wolf & Luke of Arizona Sports at the time. “He’s a superstar in this league. You win with superstars in this league. Yes, I do know it’s a team game and putting a team together to win baseball games is also equally important. That’s on us to figure out what the right mix of players is.
Two years ago, we went to the World Series with this player on our team. … So this mindset of where he is on our team and his inability or ability to help us win is hard for me to just take that. … Where this lays down at his feet and where it’s coming from now is a little bizarre to me. I’m not ignoring the inconsistencies with some of the things that have happened. He’s addressed those things. We’ve addressed those things with him.
We’re not blind to having an imperfect clubhouse and an imperfect roster. … I’m also in a job and position to put players on the field that can win you baseball games, because ultimately that’s what this comes down to. We are going to put the best team on the field every single day we can.”
Marte doesn’t even make that much. It’s a complete non-issue if he declines in a couple years and that contract is under water. Meanwhile he may be the most under appreciated superstar in the game. No way they’d trade him unless it’s a bloody HAUL.
Skipping games to go fishing might have sealed his fate.
Yeah, but who else wants to deal with that?
Aside from Corbin Carroll and maybe Marte they don’t have any “star hitters” to trade
I think he was just trying to use blanket statements. That was some campaign level word salad as he attempted to acknowledge a potential problem while still delicately tip toeing around Marte’s ego.
They should probably trade him. It doesn’t need to be about the clubhouse stuff. I just think they have too many holes to fill. This is probably more of a “let’s see what we have” year than a real attempt at contention. Trading him for a couple near ML pieces keeps the contention window open longer than holding on to him does.
Perdomo was one of the best hitters in the league last year and Gabriel Moreno put up a 117 OPS+ at catcher. Don’t be ignorant.
Marte seems obviously like their best trade piece, but Geraldo Perdomo is probably the most desirable player they have that they could trade. Plenty of teams are desperate for a shortstop who can hit. They could get back a haul for him. They’re not gonna trade Corbin Carroll.
Perdomo is one of the best trade pieces in the entire league, but for both players, plenty of club control left on a team that wants to contend and doesn’t have replacements for them and couldn’t afford anywhere near that level of production if they had to replace them means neither will move.
Both NY teams probably are willing to burn down the farm for him
Andrew Painter OR Aidan Miller, Bryson Stott, Aroon Escobar, and 2 more in the 10+ range from Philly’s minors.
Those statements scream of, we’re going to move him cause our clubhouse doesnt like him. But im not going to announce that publicly so I can still get a good return and not destroy that relationship if I cant find what im looking for. He’s probably more likely to be traded this off season than not. Likely, just not a guarantee.
I don’t think Marte value is all that high. He appeared to be a locker room problem this past year and his numbers declined. Saying that as a Yankee fan I would love his bat and defense at second but with Jazz there it makes no sense. If the Yankees decide to move Jazz to cf if they don’t resign Bellinger or if they trade Jazz which would definitely consider being his value is as high as it’s gonna be in his last year and I believe the return should be very good then adding Marte makes allot of sense.
I don’t think his value is that high but I would love if my favorite team got him. lol.
Hunter Greene for Corbin Carroll?
casey21-Reds say yes maybe, Dbacks say no.
Ketel Marte, a great player, would benefit multiple contending teams. If you want him, you will have to trade up for his services. Multiple top prospects needed for the Dbacks to move him.
Hazen likes lefties. Tarek would be a fun lefty to get if it did cost Ketel, Hazen has a delivered ironically with the staff, bad luck with injuries, other moves ryne and jones for acuna Jr and pfaddt for schaunel
Trading Marte for Skubal doesn’t make sense for the DBacks. Skubal has 1 arb season left, and there’s no way Arizona would be able to resign him. Every GM in the league tries to build rosters that can compete for multiple seasons, knowing that anything can happen if they make the playoffs. One SP wouldn’t even improve their chances next season that much. Teams that trade for rental players like Skubal are teams that could potentially resign them. The days of the Marlins winning a World Series then having a fire sale before the parade ends are over. If the DBacks were to trade Marte, (they shouldn’t, and probably won’t, but if they did…) it would be for a player or players that would play immediately with years of control left.
No way Arizona would be able to sign him…. like Corbin burnes no way?
Cubs traded for Tucker on a one year rental. Orioles got Burnes on a rental. Every offseason someone trades for one year of someone. Not saying they will or should but saying teams don’t do it is provably wrong.
I’m not one to take the word of a GM but in this case I believe him. He’ll listen
If they could keep Marte and Carroll and also end up with Skenes, that would be good.
Seeing the way Hazen operates, a Marte trade would be for young pitchers. Pitchers with a 3-to-4-year window before entertaining arbitration. One team that comes to mind would be maybe a deal with the Phillies involving Painter, maybe a Pittsburgh deal involving Skenes, I would be surprised if Hazen would go after Skubal just for the fact he is in arbitration and a couple steps from Free Agency.
But the real factor is Marte has a good contract, yes, he is 32 now, and this maybe the best time to trade him for a good return. But I only see a trade going down if Hazen gets everything he wants in return. Marte will not be given away for a handful of low-level prospects.