Monday marked Ketel Marte's first public comments since being placed on the restricted list, then the injured list. Stacy Revere / Getty ImagesAug. 31, 2026 Updated 6:42 pm EDTPHOENIX — Ketel Marte — the embattled Arizona Diamondbacks star who earlier this month failed to show up for a game in Boston, a decision that sparked a tumultuous series of events for his club — addressed his absence Monday, saying it began with a moment of “frustration.”Marte spoke to reporters wearing workout clothes, delivering comments that capped a long saga for the Diamondbacks — one that started in mid-August on the East Coast and stretched to the final day of the month. The three-time All-Star is set to DH on Monday as Arizona opens a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.Monday marked Marte’s first appearance at Chase Field since he was initially placed on the restricted list Aug. 17, after he failed to show up for his his club’s road series against the Boston Red Sox. Following three games without pay, Marte was moved to the 10-day IL with left knee soreness, the same ailment that forced him to exit one of his last appearances.Marte’s return to play for the still-in-the-hunt Diamondbacks was not without issue. One day after meeting with general manager Mike Hazen, manager Torey Lovullo and his agent, Marte was spotted at a Phoenix-area casino while his teammates continued to pursue an October appearance, which would be their first since reaching the World Series in 2023.Though Marte was not expected at Chase Field at any point during his rehab, the optics of his trip to the casino continued to confound some, including his manager.In 13 games without Marte, Arizona went 7-6, winning series against the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs, while losing to the Red Sox and splitting a four-game weekend set with the San Francisco Giants. Entering Monday, the Diamondbacks maintained a 1/2-game lead over the San Diego Padres for the National League’s third and final wild-card spot. The club does not own a tiebreaker over San Diego.This story will be updated.