A large portion of Diamondbacks fans didn’t seem ready to forgive and forget about Ketel Marte’s recent actions.
The Arizona infielder was mostly booed in his first game back with the team following a drama-filled few weeks after he failed to show up for a game against the Red Sox in Boston, leading to the Diamondbacks briefly putting him on the restricted list.
The fans let him hear it when he stepped to the plate in his first at-bat during Monday night’s game against the Phillies.
He heard it again from the fans when he grounded out.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters before the game that he was “a little bit” worried about the fan reception for Marte.
“He’s an emotional kid. He’s a very emotional kid,” Lovullo said.
Marte addressed reporters for the first time on Monday, explaining his decision not to show up to the game in Boston was a “moment of frustration.”
“In that instance, I failed him by not showing up,” Marte told reporters. “That morning I woke up, my body was in pain and I just couldn’t react. No one made the decision for me. I’m the one who made the decision to not show up.”
Lovullo defended Marte prior to the game and told reporters that the infielder had a great appreciation for the fans in Arizona, despite not addressing a question about his view of the fans prior to the game.
“I know that he loves the fans,” Lovullo said. “I know that he picks up on their energy. He pays attention to what the fans say and do, and love and support of him. Maybe he didn’t answer the question the way he would have if … he had a chance to really sit down and say what he wanted to say, but I know he loves his fans.”
