Ketel Marte has been key to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ surprising World Series run this year and now is in a class of his own after going 1-for-5 against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
Marte extended his MLB postseason hitting streak to a record 18 games, breaking a tie with Manny Ramírez (2003-2004), Derek Jeter (1998-1999) and Hank Bauer (1956-1958).
Marte’s only hit in Game 2 of the Fall Classic helped the Diamondbacks extend their lead over the Rangers in what would be a 9-1 win to pull even in the series.
Marte’s streak began in 2017, when he went 3-for-5 in the Diamondbacks’ National League Wild Card Game win over the Colorado Rockies. He then recorded at least one hit in all three games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series that year.
Thus, the start of the 2023 postseason saw Marte on a four-game hitting streak. Entering Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night, he has notched at least one hit in all 14 of the Diamondbacks’ playoff games so far this year. That began with Arizona’s two-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Wild Card Series.
Marte continued his hot hitting by going 5-for-14 against the Dodgers in the NLDS. He went 1-for-5 in the Diamondbacks’ Game 1 win, with his only hit being a leadoff double against Clayton Kershaw in the first inning.
Marte notched two more hits in Arizona’s Game 2 victory and had another multi-hit performance as the Diamondbacks completed a sweep of the Dodgers, which included a home run off Lance Lynn.
World Series streak involving Dodgers and Astros snapped
With the Diamondbacks and Rangers meeting in this year’s World Series, a streak involving the Dodgers and Houston Astros was snapped. For the first time since 2017, the Fall Classic does not feature either team.
The Dodgers made appearances in 2017, 2018 and 2020; while the Astros represented the American League in 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022.
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