Is Ketel Marte playing today against Phillies? All you need to know about the Diamondbacks slugger's return

Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Ketel Marte was placed on the 10-day IL on April 5 due to a strained hamstring. He pulled up lame after blasting a ball into the outfield, and it has been a slow recovery.

Since losing one of their stars, the Diamondbacks have been able to stay in the thick of things. They are coming off a series win against the New York Mets and have some good news heading into Friday.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo announced that Marte is en route to Philadelphia ahead of their Friday game against the Phillies. The chances of the slugger returning to the lineup are high.

"We know the reason why he is here. He is not going to go to Philly to see the Liberty Bell, for crying out loud. He's coming here to play some baseball," said Lovullo.

Expand Tweet

There is only one reason why Marte is coming to Philadelphia, and that is to play baseball. Lovullo mentioned that they would get him in the clubhouse, sit him down, and go from there.

"We'll get him in the clubhouse today, sit him down, and I know the guy that makes the lineups, there is a really good chance he is going to be playing second base tonight" he added.

Tim Wawa has taken over second base with Marte down. He has played 19 games, hitting .190/.304/.483 with five home runs and 10 runs batted in. He stepped up for his club and was able to keep them centered.

Ketel Marte's return could be huge for the Diamondbacks

Arizona Diamondbacks - Ketel Marte (Photo via IMAGN)

Ketel Marte has been a force to be reckoned with in Arizona. The two-time All-Star was coming off a season where he hit .292/.372/.560 with a career-high 36 home runs and 95 runs batted in.

Expand Tweet

Before his injury, Marte played in just eight games. It was not enough time for him to get comfortable, and when he returns, he will still be searching for his first home run of the 2025 season.

With how he looked last year, that should come quickly. The Diamondbacks slugger has really worked on his power over the last few years, and it has paid off.

Manager Torey Lovullo already mentioned the high chance of him playing on Friday. However, if that does not happen, you can almost guarantee he will be on the field at some point this weekend.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

Know More

Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom