Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte has been on fire in the 2023 MLB playoffs. The Diamondbacks have made quite a bit of noise in the postseason, their first appearance in October since 2017 — and Marte, one of the team’s longest-tenured players, has made the most of the opportunity.
Marte has played 16 career postseason games — 12 of them this year. He has recorded a hit in every one of those games, which is a new record for a player on a National League ballclub. Marte broke a tie for the mark and snagged it for himself with a double to right field in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Marte ropes a double to right
Marte did not have a hit in any of his first three at-bats on Tuesday night as left-handed starter Ranger Suarez kept the former All-Star off-balance. When Philadelphia turned to its bullpen in a tight, winner-take-all game, the Arizona second baseman found himself with an opportunity to take advantage.
Facing fireballing left-hander Jose Alvarado in the seventh inning on Tuesday night, Marte took an 0-1 sinker and drilled it toward the right-field warning track. The ball bounced off the wall, where right fielder Nick Castellanos picked it up and hit the cutoff man. Marte coasted into second with a double, and he had a shiny new record to show for his efforts.
Marte’s double broke a tie with former All-Star outfielder Marquis Grissom, who recorded a base hit in 15 consecutive postseason games. In Game 6 on Monday night, Marte had passed Philadelphia shortstop Trea Turner on the list — Turner had recorded a hit in his first 14 playoff games.
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Patience pays off
Marte and first baseman Christian Walker have long waited for moments like the ones they’ve experienced this October. They are the longest-tenured Diamondbacks players and survivors of Arizona‘s disastrous 110-loss season in 2021.
Marte joined the Diamondbacks from the Seattle Mariners in a five-player trade before the 2017 season. He finished fourth in NL MVP voting in 2019, when he made his only All-Star appearance in the midst of a season where he hit .329 with 32 home runs.
Injuries and inconsistency slowed down Marte in recent years, but the 30-year-old bounced back strongly in 2023 with 25 home runs and solid defense at second base. The Dominican-born slugger has been able to carry over those strong performances into the postseason, where he has played a pivotal role in Arizona‘s unlikely successes.
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