During a game against the Chicago White Sox, Arizona's Ketel Marte became emotional after a fan made hurtful comments regarding his deceased mother. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo intervened, offering support to Marte who was visibly distressed. The incident prompted MLB to ban the heckler from all stadiums, highlighting a commitment to player welfare and respect. Marte, now in his 11th MLB season, experienced immense public support from his team, demonstrating a strong camaraderie. He performed well in the game, but chose not to conduct post-game interviews.
According to the Arizona Republic, Lovullo said he heard the comments made toward Marte during the player's at-bat during the top of the seventh inning and that he and bench coach Jeff Banister asked for the responsible fan to be removed.
Lovullo later said on the Diamondbacks broadcast that he told Marte in that moment: "I love you and I'm with you, and we're all together, and you're not alone. And no matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you heard, that guy's an idiot and shouldn't have an impact on you."
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