Marte booed in return after absence

Ketel Marte was met with a chorus of boos from Arizona Diamondbacks fans during his first game back with the team on Monday night, following a two-week absence that began when he failed to report for a game in Boston. The three-time All-Star infielder, who was placed on the restricted list and later the injured list, returned to the lineup as the designated hitter for a crucial series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The negative reception occurred when Marte stepped to the plate for his first at-bat in the 8-5 loss. He grounded out on the play, and the boos continued. Before the game, manager Torey Lovullo had expressed concern about the fan reaction, noting Marte's emotional nature. "He's an emotional kid," Lovullo said. "I know that he loves the fans. I know that he picks up on their energy." Marte addressed the media for the first time since his absence, apologizing to Lovullo and his teammates. He explained that on the morning of the missed game in Boston, he woke up in pain and could not react. "In that instance, I failed him by not showing up," Marte said through an interpreter. "No one made the decision for me. I'm the one who made the decision to not show up.