SAN DIEGO — With another home run and another multi-hit performance to name, Diamondbacks' second baseman Ketel Marte tried to brush off the question on Friday night. A year ago, he was snubbed for the National League All-Star team. He was deserving but was not selected.
So, he was asked, what would it mean this time, another year in which he is deserving, to make it?
“I don’t know, I don’t focus on that,” Marte said after the Diamondbacks fell, 10-3, to the San Diego Padres on Friday night. “I just play. I haven’t talked to anybody about that. I’m just playing hard. And we’ll see at the end what happens.”
Voting for the All-Star Game opened Wednesday. As it stands, there is no debating that Marte deserves to be there in Texas for the game on July 16. His top-line numbers are strong, better than any other second basem*n. His defensive numbers are excellent. He is coming off a terrific performance in last year's playoffs.
But, of course, he had a case last year, as well. And he was left off.
See the box score: Padres 10, DBacks 3
“Last year, I had the numbers,” Marte said. “But I don’t know what was going on. I’m not really focusing on that. If I make the team, I’m going to have fun over there that day with my family. But if not, I’ll go back to the Dominican for three days.”
On Friday night, Marte continued to assemble a strong case. He bashed his 13th home run, a two-run shot to left field that came off Padres lefty Wandy Peralta. He owns a .282/.340/.508 line. His .848 OPS is the best among NL second baseman.
Years ago, starters were voted on by fans, with the rest of the team put together by the managers. Nowadays, the teams are assembled in Byzantine fashion.
There are multiple voting phases by the fans, who decide the starters. There are votes conducted via player ballots, which help inform the reserve players and pitching staff selections that are made by the commissioner’s office.
Inevitably, there will be a myriad of replacements for players who are hurt, bow out or are unavailable to pitch. The one wrinkle that remains unchanged is that every club is required to have at least one representative.
Those same rules were in place last year and Marte was left off. At the time the rosters were set, Marte had accumulated the highest WAR of any second baseman in the league. It left Marte stunned and upset.
“Honestly, I got mad,” Marte said. “Because when you work hard and you have the numbers to be there and you don’t go, you’re going to be mad. I’m a guy who has a big heart. I know I’m a superstar and I deserved to be there, and then nothing, man. Last year, I went back to the Dominican and saw my family.”
At the time, manager Torey Lovullo speculated that the timing of the voting did not help Marte, who did not rank high on players’ ballots. He was red-hot in the days leading up to the announcement, and Lovullo wondered if players had voted before Marte’s numbers had climbed.
Another possibility is that he was being punished for a disappointing year in 2021, when both his offensive stats and defensive reputation had taken a step back.
Neither of those factors would seem to be in play this time around. Not only are Marte’s numbers strong, but he is coming off a solid 2023 season and an excellent postseason, in which he hit .329/.380/.534, won the NL Championship Series MVP award and set a postseason record with a 20-game hit streak.
“I’m just playing,” Marte said. “I’m playing hard. I just try to help my team. I’m healthy, and when I’m healthy, the numbers are going to be there.”
To that point, Marte said he felt some discomfort in his back on his final swing of the game on Friday night — a strikeout in the top of the ninth inning — but insisted he was fine.
“I’m all right,” he said. “I’ll be ready for tomorrow.”
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Diamondbacks add Thyago Vieira to roster
The Diamondbacks added right-hander Thyago Vieira to their roster Friday, optioning left-hander Joe Jacques to clear space.
Vieira, 31, whom the Diamondbacks claimed off waivers Thursday, owns 6.85 ERA in 17 appearances split between Milwaukee and Baltimore this year. His career ERA (6.71), spread across 51 innings and parts of five seasons, is not much better.
He has a power repertoire, including a fastball that averages 97 mph as well as a slider that elicits swings and misses.
Jacques was with the club for one game – or, technically, less than that since he did not arrive at Petco Park until midgame. He did not appear in the game and was immediately sent to Triple-A Reno.
Saturday’s Diamondbacks-Padres pitching matchup
Diamondbacks at Padres, 5:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34
Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (3-4, 5.44) vs. Padres RHP Matt Waldron (3-5, 3.98).
At Chase Field: Nelson worked a career-high 7⅔ innings against the Giants last week, walking none and striking out one. … Over his past 18⅔ innings, Nelson has given up six runs (2.89 ERA). … He has struggled against the Padres the past two seasons, giving up 18 earned runs in 19 innings over four starts. … Waldron allowed one run in 6⅓ innings against the Angels in his most recent outing, extending a string of solid starts. Over his past five outings, he has posted a 1.84 ERA in 29⅓ innings. … His last rough outing came against the Diamondbacks, who scored eight runs (seven earned) in three innings on May 5. He gave up a homer to 2B Ketel Marte and doubles to 1B Christian Walker, C Tucker Barnhart and LF Jake McCarthy.
Coming up
Sunday: At San Diego, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks TBA vs. Padres RHP Adam Mazur (0-0, 1.50).
Monday: Off.
Tuesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Jordan Montgomery (3-4, 6.80) vs. Angels RHP Jose Soriano (3-5, 3.64).
Wednesday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Slade Cecconi (1-4, 5.66) vs. Angels RHP Griffin Canning (2-6, 4.65).
