The list of teams connected to Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte continues to grow. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mariners and Pirates are among the teams interested in dealing for the three-time All-Star.
Heyman also linked the Red Sox, Rays, and Tigers to Marte, echoing this morning’s report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Those squads join the Phillies and Blue Jays, who reportedly inquired about Marte last month. John Gambadoro of 98.7 Arizona Sports noted in mid-November that at least seven teams had checked in on Marte’s availability, though he didn’t mention any by name. It’s unclear if this group comprises the seven teams Gambadoro was referencing, but we’ve now reached that number across the various reports.
With Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suárez heading into free agency, Seattle has some vacancies to fill in the infield. A reunion with either player is an option, and there are also a handful of internal candidates to fill those spots, though a deal for Marte would be a desirable route. The 32-year-old has been one of the most productive players at his position over the past decade. Marte finished fourth in NL MVP voting in 2019 and came in third in 2024. He’s won the Silver Slugger award in back-to-back seasons.
Marte slashed .283/.376/.517 this past season. He topped 25 home runs for the third straight year. Various injuries and absences led to Marte playing just 126 games, but he exceeded 550 plate appearances for the fourth consecutive year. Outside of recurring hamstring problems in 2021, Marte has been remarkably durable during his nine seasons in Arizona.
It would be quite the full-circle moment if Seattle were able to acquire Marte. The club signed him as an international free agent in 2011. He debuted with the Mariners in 2015, posting a 112 wRC+ over 57 games. He struggled in a bigger role the following season, while also missing time with a thumb sprain and mononucleosis. Seattle shipped Marte and Taijuan Walker to Arizona following the 2016 season in a blockbuster deal that brought back Jean Segura, Mitch Haniger, and Zac Curtis. Segura and Haniger had productive tenures with the Mariners, but didn’t reach anywhere near the heights that Marte has in Arizona.
Seattle already used one of their primary trade chips this offseason, sending Harry Ford to Washington for Jose A. Ferrer, but the organization has plenty more exciting prospects to include in a potential Marte deal. MLB.com ranked the Mariners’ farm system behind only the Twins and Dodgers in its 2025 midseason update.
Pittsburgh has also executed a notable trade this offseason, acquiring Jhostynxon Garcia and a pitching prospect for Johan Oviedo and a couple of minor leaguers. Garcia will join the outfield mix alongside fixtures Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, but the club could still use some additions in the infield.
The Pirates shuffled through a litany of players at second base this past season, with Nick Gonzales (359 plate appearances) and Adam Frazier (189 plate appearances) earning the most reps at the position. Frazier was shipped to Kansas City at the trade deadline, and Gonzales could slot in at shortstop next season. That leaves Nick Yorke and Tsung-Che Cheng as the current top candidates to handle the keystone in 2026. Recent waiver claim Marco Luciano could also factor into the infield calculus, though he strictly played outfield and DH last season.
Pittsburgh ranked 23rd in OPS at second base last year. The club didn’t have much success at the other positions either, finishing dead last in scoring. The Pirates have been bottom 10 in runs for seven straight seasons. They’ve been the lowest-scoring team three times in that span. Moving Oviedo for Garcia is a step toward addressing that weakness, but a Marte deal would obviously provide a massive jolt to the offense. Pittsburgh slotted in at ninth in the aforementioned farm system rankings on MLB.com. It would likely take significant prospect capital to pry Marte away from Arizona.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
I don’t see Jazz staying long term. What could Yankees get for him?
Get for Jazz or how much for Ketel?
@ mlbnyyfan
What could the Yanks get for Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
As we approach the holiday season, it’s often a challenge to find the right gifts for others. The two most common methods for selecting a gift are either something really generic and impersonal, or something specific that the gift receiver might be in need of.
I’d say for Jazz, the Yanks should get him an instruction manual on how to show up in the playoffs. That seems like something he could get a lot of use out of.
Cynical and dispiriting reply Canuckball. You had me going thinking you were actually headed for a warm holiday message of brotherhood & goodwill, yet only to pull the rug from under us when you mock Jazz and implore him to read a book on a subject that doesn’t exist in order to get better at something he may never get a chance to do again. Bleak cynicism and false promises are the order of the day indeed! Sigh.
Nutting and Cherington got bullied into at least looking like they want to win
Their mission is to let skenes win cy young’s and make money from it
They want to make $. Signing Schwarber trading for Marte makes them $
Can’t wait for the story to break where the DBacks come out and say that the Pirates didn’t even make a quarter-assed offer to trade for Marte.
“Linked” is a favorite word this time of year. In what way ate the Pirates “linked” to Marte? The way they were “linked” to Schwarber? Does anyone who has any knowledge of Nutting think that he would authorize taking on the 5 remaining years at about $18 million a year for Marte – or actually anyone? The Pirates are more likely to bring back Adam Frazier than to trade for Marte.
If all the Pirates rumors are true, their payroll will exceed $300 million next year. Not holding my breath.
They are “almost” signing more players than the Steelers “almost” acquired wide receivers. Can’t wait to the the “heavy in talks with” lineup!
Bold prediction if they actually take on a large contract they will stop taking on large contracts before theh reach 300m
I would rather trade for Brandon Lowe from Tampa Bay but Marte would be a good get too.
Get both!
Did Heyman *really* report “the Mariners and Pirates are among the teams interested in dealing for the three-time All-Star”? Cause the linked tweet just says those teams are “a fit”. Which may be true, but doesn’t mean they’re going after him.
Yeah, looks like @Charlie Wright jumped the gun on this one. Hopefully he catches it and we see an edit.
Heyman only reported the Red Sox were interested.
Sorry Charlie but the tribe has spoken
It’s Heyman, so basically I ignore his word salad tweets and wait for Passan to actually break/confirm the news.
Also doesn’t mean they are “linked”. That’s MLB Rumors clickbait.
Ketel Marte for Mike Burrows, Terrmarr Johnson and Seth Hernandez
Mitch Keller and Dennis Santana for Bryce Eldridge and Will Bednar
Thomas Harrington and Comp A pick for Ian Happ
Signs Verlander and Framber who follow new pitching coach Billy Murphy to Pittsburgh
Make sure you save before turning your Xbox off.
Harrington was a fake top 100 never should have been on any list. If you are going to dream go bigger like you did on the others.
SH is best high-school pitcher I ever seen. Older guys have him as 2nd or 3rd best depending on how old. I would have taken him #1 overall. If Pirates trade him for anyone who isn’t just a young mega star fans should just give up on them and find another team.
If nutting read this he would faint at all of those salaries he would take on
Bednar is a NYY right now. Do your homework before you flap ypur gums.. There’s no way the Dbacks make that suggested trade to the Pirates.
WILL Bednar is on the Giants. DAVID is on the Yankees. Do your homework before talking sideways about other peoples comments.
Other than the last sentence, I kind of like your thinking. Happ and Bednar come home. Marte brings the pop
But on one hand, they couldn’t afford the two pitchers you list and on the other, why not just go with Skenes, Bubba, Barco, Ashcraft and Jones?
(Although Jones might not be ready)
I’m sitting here having a drink in the high wind neg 30 deg weather and i figured why not start a “key word” post for base ball off season after reading all the reports….”thinking about it”, “might have interest”, “linked”…carry on
And “Mariners” lol they’re always listed in these posts
AK sox fan
I’m sitting here having a drink in the high wind neg 30 deg weather
======================
In the wind or inside? Details matter.
I was inside, but its blowing so hard it felt like i was outside…pushing 100mph like a good fastball
Mariners might have less than 5 top 100’s at the end of the offseason.
The only prospects I don’t want to trade are Colt Emerson, Felnin Celesten, Laz Montes, Kade Anderson, and one of Cijnte or Sloan
That leaves Cole young, Michael arroyo, Jonny farmelo, tai peete, the catcher Stevenson, Logan Evans
Montes is overrated IMO so I’d move him in the right deal and I’m not moving Sloan for anyone. Farmelo and Arroyo would be tough to move. Evan’s has very little value
3 untouchables should be Emerson, Sloan, Anderson, and Arroyo… everyone else is tradeable
Thats a HUGE no on Jonny for me. I’d give up Felnin in a heartbeat before I let anyone take Farmelo!!!
It’s okay, they’ll draft more!
Cherington has not shown any indication he is willing to give up any high ranking prospects. He has little, if any, prospects who are position players. He has traded marginal pitchers while again not giving up highly regarded guys. Maybe a trade featuring Keller and some prospects might interest Arizona. Beyond that there will not be a trade for Marte.
Agreed. The idea with him seems to be to stockpile young arms for a rainy day. Why? They won’t spend the money on even middling free agents. They won’t trade from depth to teams that need pitching. But they are adept at linking themselves in both regards
Maybe I’ll be surprised but it looks like another season of pierogi races being the highlight at PNC
Because trading from depth to acquire an established hitter would mean taking on the salary and years for said hitter and Nutting won’t allow that.
“He has little, if any, prospects who are position players.” That hilarious. ANY well he has kg Konnor Griffin you should Google him. While you are at it Edward Florentino. Just keep going down the list Jhostynxon Garcia. Rafael Flores. Esmerlyn Valdez. Those are just the standouts.
He hasn’t traded any big big prospects because there hasn’t been any reason and or anyone to trade them for until possibly now.
Pirates going all in this season. Championship or bust!
Yes all in. Rumor has it that when tomlin gets fired in January, nutting will hire him as dugout coach. Also he will be in charge of the pirates defensive strategy.
Bust for 100!
Mariners could be a good fit for him.
Pirates should would be a good fit for him.
If only there were two of him.
Kinda maybe possibly there is. Lowe for 1 year would be a big impact. Even free agent Polanco Suarez. Take a gamble with Baltimore kids. Donovan.
Marte bigger name. Better player. But you do what you can do and improve other places. Marte cost a nice chunk of $ and prospects compared to other options.
Marte playing half his games at T-MOBILE would have the same affect on his production like it did Geno and Teo.
Something I noticed is that it’s typically the strikeout prone hitters that struggle in Seattle
Marte was good here 10 years ago even though that was a long time ago but he doesn’t strike out a ton and can hit the ball far
Well, I was wrong about the Mariners not trading Ford. Maybe I can be wrong again because I do not believe that they’ll trade a bunch of prospects to take on Marte’s contract. I just don’t see the fit considering they’re very committed to giving Young a long look at 2B.
Young would be in the trade for Marte for sure
I think they are just doing their due diligence in case a deal for Polanco can’t get done. Jorge will be back in Seattle i think with a shiny new 3-yr deal when all is said and done.
I would propose a O’Neil Cruz-Ketel Marte trade straight up!!!
I’ll be the dbacks in this situation. Please never call us again that offer was so insulting.
It wouldn’t be just him, we’d throw in a couple of pitching prospects too. Not sure how’d they do in the hitters parks out west though
I said never call here again I’m calling the police
Marte linked to the Mariners is no surprise, except that it’s all from the press and fans and probably not from the teams themselves. It would take a lot more than what the M’s would be comfortable giving up, but if this is the year to push in all the chips, then it’s certainly worth an overpay if they’re all prospects. Save Montes for that Steven Kwan trade, but Cole Young and Logan Evans might get it done, although the M’s would probably rather trade Luis Castillo to make the money work.
It’s all from mlbtr Charlie apparently.
Financially, if Martes remaining contract is five years at $90 million and Polanco perhaps wants a three year deal at say $$14-15 million a year I would take Marte and his bat in a heartbeat except, the Marte deal is going to cost us players. I think that AZ has a lot of young middle infielders and AZ Will want some pitching and OF help. Hard to trade prospects Montes and Cijntje, etc and then take on that contract. Maybe Farmelo, Evans, and another top 12 prospect? Marte would add so much to any teams line-up.
Looks like the Pirates are going to win the “interested” title this offseason
I wouldn’t trade for him unless I had the rest of the team reasonably set, the pirates are not there.
But if I were to trade for a position player, he would be someone to at least take a half hearted poke at just to gauge interest. That could be all it is
Arizona needs to keep their core together and sign one more bat, preferably Murakami.
Pirates have the most of the thing Arizona wants. I can actually see the pirates being serious suitors for Marte.
Haven’t heard a lot from the man Paul but know he’s reading. I hope you are eating up my comments. Feel like I been am on a hot streak.
Not going to happen in Pittsburgh but if the Pirates seriously want Schwarber then a trade for Marte would be a big move towards that happening!
The Pirates are trying to spend A)Because they want to make money. B) Positioning themselves for not looking like the Marlins when salary floor comes up next season.
Word on the floor is if they can’t score Marte the Mariners will take a swing at a subsidized Arenado, at minimal cost player wise…
Bucs can sign 1B O’Hearn, sign 3B Okamoto & put Keller in a trade package for Adell or Duran & call it a day.