Skip to main content
Friars On Base
Fansided

Padres should be careful what they wish for if the Diamondbacks trade Ketel Marte

A quieter spring in Arizona could make for a louder summer at Chase Field.
ByTremayne Person
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on Reddit
Google Discover
Sep 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) reacts after lining out during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Sep 27, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) reacts after lining out during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the Diamondbacks trade Ketel Marte out of the NL West, it’s fair to think the Padres and the fans would enjoy the first trip to Chase Field without him. There’s always a point in a series with Arizona where you’re not looking forward to watching Marte step into the batter’s box. 

Let’s say the Dbacks actually move him. Then show us what they got for him. GM Mike Hazen is open to reshaping a roster that won 86 games in 2026 and missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Arizona listened to offers for Marte into January last winter and kept him when the offers fell short. Now the question has returned, and Hazen told MLB.com that settling it will help determine the rest of the offseason. Marte has the right to veto a trade, so he’ll have a say in how long this takes and where he goes.

The easy read is that the Diamondbacks would be giving away one of their bigger advantages in close games. At the same time, this is a team that needs to get more out of their roster, and moving Marte could help them upgrade other weak areas. Hazen singled out middle relief and hitting against right-handed pitching as areas they need to address, with rotation depth also on the list.

The Padres could get a tougher Arizona team out of this

Last August, Marte missed a game at Fenway Park without permission, went on the restricted list and later apologized to his teammates. Arizona moved forward in the middle of a wild-card race. Now those same teammates could show up to camp and spend another spring answering questions about whether they trust the guy to show up more often and be dependable in 2027. That will get old, even for the guys who want him to stay.

If Hazen makes a deal before camp, Arizona gets to spend spring training figuring out how to win with the team it has. The players can talk about the season ahead without questions circling back to Marte. A quieter camp is worth only so much, but it could go a much longer way without the media bringing up uncomfortable conversations.

So yes, we’ll take Marte out of the division. We’d also like the Diamondbacks to spend all winter haggling over him. The version we should worry about is the one where Hazen gets his price, fills a hole and gives Arizona a whole spring to move on from it.

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Home/Padres Rumors