The Arizona Diamondbacks’ struggles continued on Sunday with a 6-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies, but the postgame moment that stood out was not the scoreboard. Instead, it was shortstop Geraldo Perdomo stepping in front of cameras to defend his teammate Ketel Marte.
Manager Torey Lovullo had just begun his postgame comments at Coors Field when Perdomo entered the room. He walked past reporters and joined his manager at the podium. Facing the media directly, Perdomo made an emotional statement in support of Marte, whose name has recently appeared in reports about possible offseason trades and tension within the team.
“I want to get something clear about my teammate,” Perdomo said. “He just wants to play baseball. Please, let him do that. I don’t want to speak for the whole team. I want to speak as a brother. It’s been too much for him already.”
Perdomo’s defense came after Marte was the final out in Sunday’s game. With runners on second and third, Marte popped up behind the mound. Rockies pitcher Juan Mejia managed to catch the ball despite colliding with two teammates, sealing Arizona’s third loss in the four-game series.
Lovullo said Perdomo’s decision to step in front of reporters was not surprising. “He steps up for his teammates,” the manager said. “That’s an awesome moment.” But the manager was less pleased with the on-field result. For the second day in a row, Arizona’s bullpen could not hold a late lead. “We’ve got to finish games,” Lovullo said. “When you’re ahead like that, you’ve got to be better.”
The Diamondbacks had built a 4-1 lead through six innings behind starter Nabil Crismatt. Making his first Major League appearance since May, the right-hander limited Colorado to one run on three hits with five strikeouts. But the game turned in the seventh. Reliever Jake Woodford hit two batters in a row, loading the bases. Rockies infielder Ryan Ritter singled to bring in two runs. Lovullo stuck with Woodford, but Mickey Moniak followed with a hit that drove in two more, giving Colorado a 5-4 lead. Woodford, now 0-3, was charged with all four runs.
Arizona rallied in the ninth. Alek Thomas singled to load the bases, though base coach Shaun Larkin held up Jake McCarthy at third, preventing what could have been the tying run. James McCann followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-5, setting up Marte’s final at-bat. After his soft pop-up ended the game, Marte stood at the plate in disbelief.
The Diamondbacks now sit at 60-65, slipping further behind in the postseason race. Dropping three of four to a Rockies team with the league’s worst record is a setback. “It’s not good to lose three of four to those guys,” said outfielder Corbin Carroll, who homered along with Lourdes Gurriel Jr. The loss was particularly frustrating given that Arizona had hit back-to-back home runs earlier in the game and appeared in control through six innings. But mistakes, missed opportunities, and bullpen struggles continue to haunt the team at a critical point in the season.
Perdomo’s words highlighted the pressure inside the clubhouse. Marte, an All-Star and key piece of Arizona’s lineup, has faced questions about his role, absences, and possible future with the team. Perdomo’s defense was not just about silencing rumors but also about protecting the team’s focus during a crucial stretch. Lovullo acknowledged the frustration. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to find a way to chip away and have quality at-bats for an entire inning,” he said.
For the Diamondbacks, the road ahead is challenging. They need wins to stay alive in the playoff hunt, and clubhouse unity could be just as important as on-field performance. Perdomo’s stand for Marte sent a message that despite the noise, the players are determined to stick together.
