D-Backs place Marte on IL with sprained ankle
The Arizona Diamondbacks placed All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left ankle, the team announced Monday.
Marte aggravated the sprain he originally sustained last week during a pinch-hit appearance in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.
"It didn't look great," manager Torey Lovullo said of Marte's injury after Sunday's game, according to MLB.com's Brian Murphy. "It's tough to take your best player off the field like that. But he was very eager to play. He was excited to play. He creates a lot of force when he pushes off the ground. He's a very strong man, and he's a great hitter because of that force.
"I think we're in a good spot. He just needs a little bit of rest. Obviously he's not 100%."
Marte has been one of the best hitters in baseball this season, posting a .930 OPS with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs in 116 games for the surging D-Backs, who have won 28 of 41 games since the beginning of July.
The D-Backs own a 2-3 record, including three straight losses, since Marte first went down with the ankle issue.
Arizona recalled utility player Pavin Smith from Triple-A to take Marte's spot on the active roster.