Marte makes All-Star statement with 3-hit game

WASHINGTON -- Early in the season, when the D-backs were mapping out future plans, they floated the idea of holding an optional workout during the All-Star break in Toronto, where they will open their second-half schedule. Hitting coach Joe Mather recalls one player protesting the idea: Ketel Marte. Not because Marte would choose not to attend, but because he plans to be unavailable.

“He said, 'I’m going to be in that All-Star Game,’” Mather said. “There is a drive in Ketel this year that feels a little bit different than last year.”

The results, too, are trending upward for Marte, who played a key role in the 6-2 win over the Nationals on Wednesday night that extended Arizona’s lead atop the National League West. Reaching base four times as part of a three-hit night at Nationals Park, Marte doubled and scored to spark Arizona’s decisive three-run first inning, and scored again later on Corbin Carroll's two-run homer, which put the game out of reach for the Nationals.

The surging D-backs also got a solid start from Zach Davies, who went 6 2/3 innings to help them collect their eighth win in 10 games and 17th in their past 24.

“I think we made a statement early,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “Our guys were ready to counter-punch anything and Ketel, with that double into right-center field [to lead off the game], really made a statement that we’re ready to go.”

The D-backs are making such statements nightly these days. A few more, and the entire NL might soon be on notice. They are thriving and surprising in no small part due to Marte, who is experiencing a return to form after his production dimmed amid nagging hamstring issues last season.

“He’s very motivated to achieve certain things this year,” Lovullo said of Marte. “He wants to turn things around. He's had a couple of tough years where things haven't gone well, injury-wise. His body is very healthy. He wants to go out and perform every single day at a high level and he's doing that. If he does [perform every single day], he's gonna get to where he wants to get to.”

This year, he looks more like the elite offensive second baseman he was in 2021 and 2019, the best year of his career and his lone All-Star season. The numbers show improvement across the board:

• 2019-’21: .318/.374/.543, .917 OPS, 139 OPS+
• 2022: .240/.321/.407, .727 OPS, 106 OPS+
• 2023: .279/.341/.480, .821 OPS, 120 OPS+ (the OPS+ is entering Wednesday)

“I’m healthy now,” Marte said. “I’m healthy and I know what I can do when I’m healthy.”

“There is more of an aura around him this year, to be honest with you," Mather said.

When asked if he considers it a goal to make the All-Star team, Marte confirmed Mather’s retelling.

“Yes, of course,” Marte said. “I want to be there with my family. I’ve had that experience before and it’s fun. It’s fun to be out there. I think I deserve to be out there, and I’m going to keep working to try to make the team.”

A few more nights like Wednesday, and perhaps he will. Although Marte still rates as a poor defender (-6 OAA, for example), he’s always been a bat-first second baseman. If he is going to earn a spot in this year’s Midsummer Classic, it’ll be on the strength of his bat. Indeed, he’s tied for second among NL second basemen in extra-base hits (24), second in runs (38), third in homers (nine) and fourth in hits (64).

“He is such an impact player,” Lovullo said. “And when he's drawing walks, which he's been doing for the past month, and slugging the baseball, he can just redirect the game with one swing and you have to take notice as to where he's at. He's in a good spot, and we want that to continue.”