Electric Yankees trade candidate may have already taken himself off their board

When Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY reported this week that the Arizona Diamondbacks could be open to shopping Ketel Marte this offseason, New York Yankees fans immediately leaned forward with interest.

The Yankees’ biggest flaws in recent seasons have been painfully consistent: too many right-handed, strikeout-prone sluggers and not enough dynamic, switch-hitting contact bats. Marte checks every missing box — a high-contact, extra-base machine with positional flexibility and postseason pedigree.

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, however, New York has reportedly appeared on Marte's five-team no-trade list in the recent past, and it's quite likely they remain there. That’s a quietly devastating development for the Yankees, because Marte is exactly the kind of player they’ve been trying (and failing) to find for years.

Ketel Marte reportedly has Yankees on his 5-team no-trade list

A career .281 hitter who can hit good pitching from both sides, Marte would be perfect for Yankee Stadium’s short porch and postseason pitching environments. He also provides defensive flexibility at second base, center field and left field — so wherever the Yankees’ injuries strike next, he would be able to plug the hole without a significant drop in production.

Plus, unlike rental bats or $300 million free agents, Marte’s $116.5 million contract that runs through 2031 would give the Yankees cost certainty for years, freeing cash for pitching and extensions.

Now, the no-trade clause doesn’t necessarily mean Marte hates he Yankees or the city of New York. It’s likely a leverage tool to control his destination, as many veterans do. But the symbolism stings. When the Yankees have become synonymous with high-pressure scrutiny and a sometimes-toxic spotlight, players like Marte — who thrive in quieter, chemistry-driven clubs like Arizona — may prefer to keep New York at arm’s length.

Still, if there were any way to change his mind, Marte would be a dream acquisition: a switch-hitting star in his prime, signed below market value, tailor-made for Yankee Stadium. That’s why the revelation that he can block a deal to the Bronx lands like a gut punch — because he’s the exact kind of player they desperately need, and the one they now can’t have unless he decides otherwise.