

The Arizona Diamondbacks opened the second half of the season without one of their two superstars. Second baseman Ketel Marte, who hit third for the NL in the All-Star Game and doubled home two runs in the first inning against Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, was placed on the restricted list Friday.
Reports earlier in the week indicated that Marte's home had been the site of a burglary, too, and there is a connection between the two things here. Via MLB.com:
Marte's home in the Phoenix area was burglarized while he was away at the All-Star Game, and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo intimated that was the reason that Marte asked him for a "couple of days" off.
"He asked for some time off, time away, just to get grounded and get himself back to where he can come back here and play and be a force," Lovullo said. "So it's kind of a day-to-day situation. I've had limited contact with him."
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"We all know what he's dealing with," Lovullo said, referring to the burglary. "It's been unfortunate. I think he retreats a little bit when he gets upset, and I respect that space, and I'm going to give him that space."
Marte, 31, is hitting .290/.394/.567 (165 OPS+) with 13 doubles, 19 homers, 40 RBI, 52 runs and 3.1 WAR in 68 games for Arizona this season. He's now a three-time All-Star and he finished third in NL MVP voting last season.
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The Diamondbacks opened their second half without Marte by winning, 7-3, over the Cardinals. The D-backs are now 48-50 this season, sitting on the periphery of the NL playoff picture.