Lovullo defends Marte: 'Couldn't be further from the
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- Torey Lovullo defended Ketel Marte on Tuesday, saying any notion that the second baseman is fracturing the Diamondbacks clubhouse 'couldn't be further from the truth'
- Lovullo's remarks followed a USA Today report over the weekend claiming Marte was again frustrating some members of the organization by taking days off
- Lovullo said rest days are 'fairly scripted' with Marte's input sought, calling the three-time All-Star 'one of the best players in the National League'
- Marte entered Tuesday's game against the Marlins hitting .246 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs
- Marte has sat out only four games this season — the third fewest on the Diamondbacks — a figure that undercuts the 'taking too many days off' framing
- This is a repeat situation: Lovullo also defended Marte last season after the second baseman missed three games post-All-Star break to fly to the Dominican Republic following a burglary at his Scottsdale home
Why it matters: Marte is a three-time All-Star and middle-of-the-order presence for Arizona, and his manager choosing to publicly rebut a national report signals the organization is standing by its star rather than allowing an anonymous narrative to take root. The pattern is now established: rest days have become a recurring flashpoint, and Lovullo's preemptive defense suggests the club wants to neutralize the story before it becomes a season-long distraction.
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