MLB Rumors: Red Sox & Diamondbacks Linked To Trade
The Arizona Diamondbacks took him off the market.
Now, with the August 3 deadline approaching and Boston sitting nine games below .500 while still only 3.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot, the conversation is starting back up.
The Boston Herald's Mac Cerullo suggested the Red Sox should revisit Marte as the deadline nears, and multiple outlets have confirmed that Arizona's internal dissatisfaction with Marte has not gone away.
.@BNightengale joined @WolfandLuke to talk more on Ketel Marte and the reported frustration surrounding the Diamondbacks star taking days off.
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) June 8, 2026
Read more: https://t.co/6EnTFme7sR pic.twitter.com/kBgrDM99K1
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported separately that the Diamondbacks tried to trade Marte during the winter and that parts of the organization remain unhappy with him, a detail that has not changed despite Hazen publicly holding firm.
What the Hold-Up Was and Why It Might Change
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reported this winter that Boston had serious interest in Marte but that talks stalled when the Diamondbacks demanded a package anchored by Marcelo Mayer alongside Connelly Early or Payton Tolle.
The Red Sox were not willing to go that far.
In May, Marte hit .295 with an .869 OPS after a slow April, and his offensive resurgence became a significant factor in Arizona climbing into NL Wild Card contention, which has reduced the D-backs' motivation to deal him in-season.
The complication going forward is Marte's contract status.
Several industry sources have told me that Ketel Marte will not be traded to any other team.
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) June 8, 2026
I've also been told that there are currently no issues between Ketel and the D-backs, and that some of the stories circulating on social media are simply not true.
As for the game in…
He has now achieved 10-and-5 rights, meaning he has the power to veto any trade to any club, a protection he did not have when offseason talks took place in January.
That veto power narrows the market considerably and means Boston would need Marte's buy-in alongside Arizona's before any deal could proceed.
Marte is slashing .246 with 11 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a 106 OPS-plus through roughly 240 plate appearances, which is steady production from a three-time All-Star on a six-year, $105 million deal running through 2030.
He is exactly the middle-of-the-order bat Craig Breslow has been searching for all season.
Photo Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
