Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo no longer plans to protect star second baseman Ketel Marte in the same way the skipper did in the past.
"I think what I would tell him is what I would tell every other player, that the decisions you make are going to be on you now," Lovullo told the "Burns & Gambo" show Thursday, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports.
Marte's demonstrated a tendency to miss games under contentious circumstances over the last four years, resulting in numerous public apologies. In August, the 32-year-old was out for two weeks after being placed on the restricted list when he failed to show up for a road game against the Boston Red Sox. He was later transferred to the injured list with a knee issue.
"I'm going to eliminate protecting you the way I have," Lovullo said. "And I will allow you to go out there and answer the questions on your own behalf instead of me protecting you. I think I would change my tune in that way."
Lovullo, who's managed the club since 2017, asserted that he's taking a new approach after returning on a reported two-year contract.
"I've taken the mindset that whenever anything goes wrong, it's my fault," Lovullo said. "And I'm going to protect these players like they're my own boys. And at a certain point, I can't do that anymore. So, I have to allow them to advocate for themselves in the proper space. That's what I’ve learned over the past couple of years."
Arizona explored moving Marte last offseason. However, the 2024 NL MVP finalist now has a full no-trade clause. He's owed $76 million over the next four years and has a $11.5-million player option for 2031.
