Overview
- Mike Hazen told MLB.com the team is "very likely" to end Marte discussions shortly, indicating a pullback from the market rather than an imminent deal.
- Arizona says offers to date are nowhere near its significant asking price, making a retention of the All-Star second baseman the likelier outcome for now.
- Marte is in year two of a six-year, $116.5 million extension and will gain full 10-and-5 veto rights in April, factors that bolster the club’s negotiating position.
- The Diamondbacks have targeted controllable starting pitching in talks but have already re-signed Merrill Kelly and added Michael Soroka, and they now aim to address a right-handed 1B/DH and bullpen needs.
- Industry reporting notes that a final Marte decision would ripple across the market, with linked teams such as the Red Sox, Mariners, Blue Jays and Reds expected to pivot toward options like Brendan Donovan or free agents including Alex Bregman and Bo Bichette.