Marte Hurt as Fan Derides Late Mother

In a display of raw emotion, Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte was visibly distraught during a recent game after a spectator leveled an offensive comment about his deceased mother. The incident prompted swift reactions and renewed calls for respectful conduct within baseball.

Emotional On-Field Scene

During a game in Chicago against the White Sox, Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ second baseman, was seen in tears. This followed a fan’s derogatory remark concerning his mother, who passed away in 2017.

Arizona manager Torey Lovullo and bench coach Jeff Banis immediately requested the fan’s removal. Lovullo later confirmed he heard the comment during Marte’s at-bat in the seventh inning.

“I just reacted as a dad would when I went out to change pitchers,” Lovullo said. “I could see he was sobbing. It hurt.”

—Torey Lovullo, Arizona Manager

The White Sox have since issued an indefinite ban against the individual. This season, MLB has seen a 10% increase in incidents involving fan misconduct, highlighting the need for stricter enforcement (ESPN, 2024).

Support and Condemnation

Marte’s teammate, shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, expressed his support. Perdomo called for MLB to take action regarding the incident.

“Everybody knows Ketel has fun, plays the game hard, but I feel bad for him. I feel mad about it. I don’t know who it was, but they’ve definitely got to do something. We cannot continue to do that [expletive] here in MLB. This is baseball, this is for the fans. They came here, they support us, but when they cross the line, we are not with that [expletive].”

—Geraldo Perdomo, Diamondbacks Shortstop

Marte, who has had an outstanding season, including a solo home run in the first inning, remains a key player. The two-time All-Star and 2023 National League Championship Series MVP is batting .320 with 15 home runs.