The regular season of the Major Leagues is in its final stretch and the conversation about who should be the Most Valuable Player (MVP)) on each circuit.
He Dominican Ketel Martewho returned with the Arizona Diamondbacks, has had a dream year. He started this weekend’s series with a .298 average, with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs. In more advanced statistics, he has a WAR of 6.0. However, the Dominican is not thinking about fighting for that award but rather about helping the team qualify for the postseason.
“I’m not really thinking about the MVP, (Shohei) Othani is having an excellent season, like every season, and (Marcell) Ozuna also has good numbers. I’m just thinking about being healthy to help the team,” said Marte before the first game of a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.
And even though he doesn’t think about awards, the Dominican’s numbers speak for themselves and suggest, as he himself says, that he should already be grateful for a good campaign.
“The home runs are there, my average is there, and the hits. As everyone knows, I might have hit 38 or 40 home runs,” he said after not playing for almost a month due to a sprained ankle. “But when you hit over 25 home runs, that’s already a season. What you have to do is finish strong and get into the playoffs.”
The message to the youngest
After 10 years of service in the majors, Dominican Ketel Marte already knows that in September every victory can be glory and every defeat very painful in search of a ticket to the postseason.
“I have been focused since spring training, when I arrived, on trying to help my team so that things go well,” continued the shortstop, who for now will serve as designated hitter. “We have to focus, right now we don’t need to rest. Right now the best players have to be playing and giving 100 percent. I think that with the young guys that we have on this team like Carroll and the pitchers, we are going to be fine.”
The Arizona team, not counting the game on Friday, September 9 against the Astros, was third in the National League West Division, 5.5 games behind the Dodgers, but had a place in the playoffs through a wild card.
