D-Backs moving Marte from restricted list to IL after meeting

The Arizona Diamondbacks are moving second baseman Ketel Marte from the restricted list to the 10-day injured list, general manager Mike Hazen told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic.

Arizona placed Marte on the restricted list before Monday's game in Boston after he failed to show up at Fenway Park and had little communication with the team. It was later revealed that he'd flown back to Phoenix to undergo an MRI on his knee. The MRI showed that Marte is dealing with left knee inflammation, and he's since received an injection in his knee, Hazen said.

Because Marte was on the restricted list for three days, his IL stint cannot be backdated, Hazen added. That means the earliest he could return to action would be Aug. 30, depending on when the transaction is finalized.

The decision to move Marte to the IL came after Hazen met with him, Marte's agent, Charisse Espinosa-Dash, and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo for "a few hours" Thursday.

"We discussed the last week, but obviously I'm not going to get into it," Hazen told Piecoro. "He'll talk to his teammates at some point and we'll go from there."

Marte's sudden and unexplained absence left many around the team perplexed over the last several days. D-Backs president and CEO Derrick Hall characterized the situation as "bizarre."

"It's still a complete mystery," Hall said Thursday morning on "Bickley & Marotta Mornings on Arizona Sports."

He added: "You know, I was on the road with the team. I can tell you, Sunday night at the hotel in Boston, he appeared just fine and then was just a no-show, as you know."

Hall said he's willing to move past the situation if Marte gives him an explanation for the absence.

"Personally, I'm disappointed that a player didn't show up and go where he was supposed to, but I could get past it if I hear a reason why," Hall said.

"We're all sort of sparing judgment because we don't know yet what the explanation is, and again, you know, we all saw him on the trip from Atlanta to Boston, and he was at the hotel with everybody, and then he just stayed back. So, we have to hear why, and then maybe there will be a reason to help him and ... alleviate this whole situation."

This isn't the first time Marte has been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.

Last summer, the three-time All-Star's teammates were reportedly upset with him for taking too many days off. Lovullo also defended Marte in June, saying the narrative about the infielder being a bad teammate was "not true."

Marte is hitting .249/.314/.446 with 21 homers and 67 RBIs in 118 games this season. The 32-year-old is in the second season of a seven-year, $116.5-million extension.