Ketel Marte nearing return as Diamondbacks gear up for crucial series in Houston

Ketel Marte, who has been out since August 18th, is expected to rejoin the Arizona Diamondbacks’ lineup before the end of their current six-game road trip, which continues this weekend with a series against the Houston Astros.

Before the Diamondbacks’ 6-4 win over the Giants on Wednesday, manager Torey Lovullo provided an optimistic update on Marte’s return. “I’ve been around long enough to know that when I see certain habits and hear certain things, it’s going to be sooner rather than later,” Lovullo said.

While Marte has been a key piece of Arizona’s lineup—and arguably the runner-up for NL MVP behind the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani—his absence has allowed the Diamondbacks to showcase their lineup depth, which has often been overlooked this season.

Since the All-Star break, despite missing Christian Walker, Gabriel Moreno, and Marte for extended periods, the Diamondbacks have posted the best OPS in baseball. Although Marte has officially been out since August 18th, his struggles began on August 9th when he initially suffered a left ankle injury. Since that time, Arizona has compiled a 13-6 record, with three of those losses coming against the Dodgers.

Christian Walker recently returned to the lineup, starting Tuesday against the Giants and entering as a substitute on Wednesday. Unfortunately, just as Walker made his return, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was placed on the IL with a shin injury.

As the Diamondbacks prepare for their final series of the season against an American League team, Marte’s return would be a significant boost. Before his injury, Marte was on an eight-game hitting streak and had tallied six home runs during that stretch. In just 21 starts since the All-Star break, he’s launched 11 home runs, pushing his season total to 30.

The Diamondbacks’ series against the Astros begins on Friday, September 6th, with the first pitch set for 5:10 PM.