D-Backs' Ketel Marte Reveals What Fan Said About Late Mother During Game vs. White Sox

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte said he was brought to tears during Tuesday's road game against the Chicago White Sox when a fan shouted that he had texted Marte's late mother.

Marte expanded on the incident in a recent Spanish language interview with journalist Yancen Pujols (translation h/t Associated Press.)

“A fan was up on the dugout shouting things about my mother,” Marte told Pujols. “He was like, ‘Last night I sent a message to your mother.’”

Marte was 23 years old when his mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car crash in the Dominican Republic in 2017.

"We have to do something about the fans. They’re going too far," Marte told Pujols. "They always shout things about me, but not about my mother. Everyone knows that my mother died in an accident. And nothing.

"We’re praying for him, for the guy who shouted, and for his family, you know? May God protect him. May God protect him and cleanse his heart. They always shout things at me but I don’t pay attention, but when they talk about my mother, it’s a different story.”

The incident took place during Marte's at-bat in the seventh inning of the Diamondbacks' 4-1 win on Tuesday. The broadcast showed him being consoled afterward by manager Torey Lovullo and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo.

Lovullo and bench coach Jeff Banister asked stadium security to eject the fan from the game, per Drottar. The 22-year-old fan was later banned indefinitely from MLB ballparks.

“It was a terrible moment,” Lovullo said after the game, per MLB.com's Casey Drottar. “Fans are nasty, and fans go too far. I love my players, and I’m going to protect them."

Marte received a standing ovation on Friday during his first game back at Chase Field since the incident.

Marte is in his ninth season with the Diamondbacks. He is batting .313 with 15 home runs and 32 RBI through 54 games heading into this weekend's home series against the Miami Marlins.