Rumors continue to swirl around Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte one month after general manager Mike Hazen expressed willingness to listen to trade offers. At the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, teams including the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Mariners, Tigers, Pirates, Rays and Phillies have shown interest in the 32-year-old three-time All-Star. No deals are imminent, but discussions are ongoing as Arizona seeks to address pitching needs.
The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, have become a focal point for trade speculation surrounding Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte. General manager Mike Hazen, who indicated last month that he would entertain inquiries for the versatile second baseman, reiterated his stance during the event. "Nothing's really changed all that much," Hazen said. "As you get into these meetings, things generally pick up... I'm still of the position that I feel like we're going to end up in the same spot that we were coming into this, but we don't know."
Hazen emphasized his responsibility to engage with the market, noting ongoing talks for several players. He has not discussed the rumors with Marte, citing their strong relationship and the low likelihood of a deal. "This is not that atypical from every other offseason we've had with him," Hazen added. "I don’t want to walk [Marte] through something that I’m not even confident is going to happen."
Marte's appeal is evident in his performance over the past three seasons, where he led primary second basemen with 15.3 WAR (per FanGraphs) and tied for ninth among all qualifiers with a 140 wRC+. These figures surpass those of free agents like Pete Alonso (8.4 fWAR, 128 wRC+), Cody Bellinger (11.4 fWAR, 123 wRC+), Bo Bichette (8.0 fWAR, 116 wRC+), Alex Bregman (12.1 fWAR, 122 wRC+) and Kyle Schwarber (9.1 fWAR, 135 wRC+), while comparing closely to Kyle Tucker (13.6 fWAR, 147 wRC+).
His contract adds to the interest: a seven-year, $116.5 million extension signed in April 2024, with six years and $102.5 million remaining and an opt-out after 2030. Arizona's pitching woes, exacerbated by the loss of Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, and a recent one-year, $7.5 million signing of Michael Soroka, make Marte a potential trade chip. The Diamondbacks are seeking Major League-ready starters in return, per reports from Jon Paul Morosi.
Potential destinations include the Pittsburgh Pirates, who could offer pitching depth; the Seattle Mariners, former suitors with infield needs; the Detroit Tigers, seeking offensive upgrades; the Philadelphia Phillies, planning for infield transitions; and the Toronto Blue Jays, contingent on Bo Bichette's status. MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported that while nothing is "hot," interest from the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and others persists, potentially influenced by free-agent developments.