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Key Takeaways
Marte did not report for Monday’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox
The Diamondbacks placed Marte on the 10-day IL with knee inflammation
MLB rules do not prevent players from gambling at casinos
An MLB All-Star was spotted at a casino during a time he was unexplainably away from the team.
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was seen at Talking Stick Resort Casino near the team’s facility in Salt River Fields. This came one day after he was placed on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation by Arizona on Thursday.
The team had placed Marte on the restricted list earlier in the week when he did not appear for Monday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Marte spotted at casino during absence
Images of Marte at the casino posted by various accounts circulated social media on Friday night and Saturday morning.
It is still unclear what caused Marte to inexplicably miss Monday’s matchup at Fenway Park. Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo seemed unmoved by Marte’s choice of entertainment, although he did not dive into the situation that occurred earlier in the week.
“He's free to do whatever he wants. That's how I look at it,” Lovullo said. “As long as he wakes up tomorrow morning and posts and gets his work done at Salt River, which I am certain he will, that's all that matters to me right now.”
Lovullo also took it a step further, saying that injured players were free to use their time away from the team however they chose, and that Marte had been at the complex on Friday.
However, the manager’s tone changed when he was asked about the optics of Marte failing to report for a game and visiting a casino during time he was meant to be rehabbing before a playoff push.
“I was hurting; I was clearly hurting,” Lovullo said, while commenting on Marte’s lack of communication. “Once I saw what was unfolding, I became extremely frustrated, and I felt betrayed. And that’s a whole different type of pain… but I’m through that.”
Torey Lovullo
“No explanation” for Marte
Despite strong prohibitions involving aspects of sports betting and information sharing, MLB’s gambling bylaws allow players to visit retail casinos during their free time. They are also allowed to participate in online casino activities, including blackjack, poker, and slot machines.
Marte has not provided any comment on his visit to the gambling facility. He reportedly explained his whereabouts on Monday in a meeting with team president Derrick Hall and general manager Mike Hazen on Thursday, although the team and Lovullo are still in the dark.
“For us to go where we want to go, we've got to have him here,” pitcher Kevin Ginkel said before Friday's game. “It's disappointing how the things that happened happened. There's really no explanation for it.”
The Diamondbacks’ 2-1 series win against the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend improved their season record to 69-62, good for third in the National League West. They are 11 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers and nine games behind the second-place San Diego Padres, who currently hold the third and final Wild Card spot.
Marte is only hitting .249 at the plate, his lowest since 2022 and the second-lowest of his 12-year career. He still leads the team in RBIs (67) and is tied with Nolan Arenado for the lead in home runs (21).
Grant is an industry news expert who covers legislative news, financial updates, and general industry trends.
As a veteran of the gambling industry, Grant has experience in the world of casinos, sports betting, and iGaming. As a former long-distance runner, he knows a thing or two about persistence and consistently holding himself to a high standard.
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