When the Diamondbacks gave second baseman Ketel Marte a five-year, $24 million contract extension in late March it was based on the belief that Marte would build upon a 2017 season in which he hit .260 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 255 at-bats.
But through the first 50 games of this season Marte had failed to live up those expectations. His batting average fell to .212 after the Diamondbacks’ recently completed road trip.
Marte, however, may be coming out of his slump. He had five extra-base hits in the Diamondbacks’ three-game sweep of the Miami Marlins, including a double and triple in Sunday’s 6-1 victory.