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Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker signs autographs for fans before Kyler Murray's celebrity softball game at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, on May 17, 2025. Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona Sports Stars Support D-backs' Ketel Marte's All-Star Case

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 9:20 PM ET

Some of the biggest sports figures in the valley are showing their support for Arizona Diamondbacks' star second baseman Ketel Marte and his push to start the 2025 All-Star Game.

Marte led the voting into Phase 2 and was named one of two finalists for the starting role, locked in a battle with Dodgers' infielder Tommy Edman. Marte is currently in the lead for the starting role, but he'll need more votes to maintain that lead over the Los Angeles fanbase.

Marte has already received plenty of support from D-backs fans, players and coaches, but some of the most prominent names in Arizona sports added their own messages in favor of the slugging second baseman.

Fans can vote at this link for Marte to start the contest. Voting ends Wednesday at noon Eastern time, 9:00 a.m. Arizona time.

Arizona Sports Figures Support Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte

Marte's excellence has found its way to the football world.

"Vote 4 Ketel to be the NL's Starting Second Baseman!!!" Arizona Cardinals Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker wrote on X/Twitter.

Yoooooooo, what’s Gucci!

Vote 4 Ketel to be the NL’s
Starting Second Baseman!!!https://t.co/xwSRiDM4yX pic.twitter.com/5iMuZAecUF
— Budda Baker (@Buddabaker3) July 1, 2025

Baker isn't the only member of the Cardinals to show his support. Star tight end Trey McBride chimed in with a "Vote 4 Ketel!!" of his own.

Vote 4 Ketel!! https://t.co/SrxKOHL9ev pic.twitter.com/Uv9bgDZhbK
— Trey McBride (@mcbtrey) July 1, 2025

Not far from State Farm Stadium, Arizona State head football coach and Arizona native Kenny Dillingham urged fans to cast their vote for the Diamondbacks' star.

Vote for Ketel Marte, National League’s Starting 2nd baseman!!! #ActivateTheValley https://t.co/9TXDfUEwS9
— Coach Dillingham (@KennyDillingham) June 30, 2025

But it's not just football figureheads urging fans to vote for Marte. On Monday, the Diamondbacks held a fan event at a Phoenix Chick-Fil-A, handing out QR codes and hats to customers in a campaign to get their second baseman as many votes as possible.

Manager Torey Lovullo led the charge with a tough sales pitch.

Torey Lovullo on Chick-Fil-A Campaign

"We were there to promote Ketel, and in my opinion, he deserves to be the starting second baseman for the National League. So we're doing all that we can to go out in the community and hand out QR codes and hats and say, 'vote Ketel Marte,'" Lovullo said.

"I did as much as I could in a half an hour. ... It was awesome, and it's a way for all of us to connect with the fans. We deserve time with them, they deserve our time and our attention and just something a little bit different than being on a baseball field and saying hello. So I think it accomplished a lot."

"I'm like the brow-beater. I'd stare at them and be like, 'Well, there's the QR code. What are you going to do? Let's go,'" Lovullo said.

Lovullo is not wrong. Marte has been the best second baseman in baseball this season, and it hasn't been particularly close.

Marte is slashing .300/.402/.592 with a .994 OPS, he's homered 17 times despite missing an entire month with a hamstring injury.

Cast your vote today, before time runs out. Get Marte that starting role he deserves.