logo
Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte reveals fan who brought him to tears shouted he messaged his late mother

Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte reveals fan who brought him to tears shouted he messaged his late mother

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte said a fan in Chicago who brought him to tears during a game against the White Sox this week shouted that he messaged his late mother the previous night.
The two-time All-Star revealed what was said during an interview with
Spanish-language journalist Yancen Pujols
.
'A fan was up on the dugout shouting things about my mother,' he said. 'He was like, 'Last night I sent a message to your mother.''
Marte was seen in tears on the field after the 22-year-old spectator yelled a derogatory comment about Marte's late mother during a seventh-inning at-bat in
Arizona's 4-1 win over Chicago
on Tuesday night.
Major League Baseball banned the fan indefinitely
from all stadiums the following day.
Marte's mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 2017. He said he's used to being taunted, but had never been heckled about his mom. He said what made it more painful for him was the Diamondbacks were in Chicago to play the Cubs when she died.
'We have to do something about the fans; they're going too far,' he said. '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.' ___
AP MLB:
https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Megan McConnell, TJ McConnell's sister, goes down 2 days after joining Mercury
Megan McConnell, TJ McConnell's sister, goes down 2 days after joining Mercury

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Megan McConnell, TJ McConnell's sister, goes down 2 days after joining Mercury

The post Megan McConnell, TJ McConnell's sister, goes down 2 days after joining Mercury appeared first on ClutchPoints. Just days after making her WNBA rookie debut, Phoenix Mercury guard Megan McConnell received devastating news. The younger sister of NBA guard TJ McConnell suffered a right knee injury in her first game that will keep her sidelined for at least three to four weeks. Advertisement The Mercury signed McConnell to make up for the hits the team's roster took due to injury. Major offseason signee Alyssa Thomas joined fellow stars Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack on the injury report due to a calf issue, creating a need for Phoenix to utilize the hardship contract option. The organization turned to McConnell, who went undrafted in 2025. McConnell appeared in two preseason games for the Mercury at around ten minutes per game. She averaged 3.0 points while shooting 50% from the field and 50% from the 3-point line. In the 88-65 loss to the Minnesota Lynx, McConnell put up three points, three assists, and one rebound in 13 minutes. Before joining the Mercury, the 23-year-old made a name for herself in five standout years at Duquesne, averaging 12.5 points, 7.5 boards, and 4.6 assists per contest. Related: Why Lexi Held feels 'lucky' with Mercury Related: Pacers' TJ McConnell wears sister's WNBA jersey before NBA Finals

Mercury waives TJ McConnell's sister Megan after injury
Mercury waives TJ McConnell's sister Megan after injury

Yahoo

time14 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Mercury waives TJ McConnell's sister Megan after injury

The post Mercury waives TJ McConnell's sister Megan after injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Phoenix Mercury have waived Megan McConnell, who was signed to a contract in early June. On Thursday, the news became official after McConnell sustained a tibial plateau fracture. McConnell got injured during an 88-65 Mercury loss to the Minnesota Lynx on June 3. Advertisement McConnell had to leave the game early after only playing for 13 minutes. In the process, she scored three points, dished out three assists, and had a rebound to her name. The younger sister of Indiana Pacer TJ McConnell grew up in a basketball family. They have two aunts, Suzie McConnell-Serio and Kathy McConnell-Miller, who became players and coaches. Their uncle, Tom McConnell, was also a college basketball coach at Indiana University Pennsylvania. Later on, she had a standout college career. She played at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While there, McConnell set records in assists (660), steals (370), games played (144), games started (136), and triple-doubles (4). In addition, she was a two-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team selection and won the 2025 Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year. Advertisement McConnell's prospects for the future are unknown. Even though she was not drafted, the Mercury took a chance on McConnell during a treacherous period. The string of injuries affecting the Mercury Despite an 11-4 record, the Mercury have been hobbled by injuries this year. So in truth, McConnell was not an isolation incident. Key players including Kahleah Copper, Alyssa Thomas, and Natasha Mack had to power through injuries. In May, Copper had to undergo left knee arthroscopy and missed 4-6 weeks. That same month, Thomas sustained a calf injury. In mid June, Mack was hobbled with a back injury. On Thursday, guard Lexi Held was diagnosed with a pneumothorax lung injury. Advertisement The entire context of injuries has forced the Mercury to change rotations, rely on their bench, and to sign undrafted rookies such as McConnell. Yet, the Mercury remain in 2nd place behind the Lynx in the Western Conference. Related: Why Mercury should explore DeWanna Bonner homecoming after Fever breakup

How Sami Whitcomb's career is the ‘blueprint' for Mercury rookies
How Sami Whitcomb's career is the ‘blueprint' for Mercury rookies

Yahoo

time14 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

How Sami Whitcomb's career is the ‘blueprint' for Mercury rookies

The post How Sami Whitcomb's career is the 'blueprint' for Mercury rookies appeared first on ClutchPoints. PHOENIX– On a team full of All-WNBA players and MVP contenders, longtime veteran Sami Whitcomb is one of the main cogs of the Phoenix Mercury's leadership engine amid an 11-4 start. Advertisement Her leadership extends beyond the court. The current Australian Women's National Team captain has had quite the unconventional journey to basketball, much like the Mercury's rookies. 'It's very similar in that they went away and played overseas,' Whitcomb told ClutchPoints on Thursday. 'They've done the hard work overseas. They've improved, they've grown their game, stayed ready, and waited for the right opportunity, and sometimes that's all it takes. Sometimes it does take longer than you expect or longer than it does for other people.' 'There's not a blueprint. It's just work hard, stay ready, and when that opportunity comes, you seize it, and I feel like they did such a great job of that in camp. They came in, they were so ready, so prepared, and did a great job. I just wanted to make sure that they felt confident in what they were doing, that they could ask questions, make mistakes.' After she played for the University of Washington, Whitcomb struggled to find an opportunity. Eventually, she returned to her alma mater as a video coordinator. Advertisement Slowly but surely, opportunity after opportunity surfaced, and she soon headed overseas. Once she left the country, her 3-point became the focal point of her game. Years went by, and then once 2017 hit, Whitcomb sought after her rookie season in the WNBA. She also happened to join the Seattle Storm, one of the most storied franchises in league history. In her second season, she secured the WNBA championship. That sparked the beginning of an already impactful career. Coming off the bench and being the team's sniper from deep proved to be pivotal. Sami Whitcomb's leadership has Mercury rookies gushing © John Jones-Imagn Images As mentioned earlier, the Mercury's rookie unit of Monique Akoa Makani, Lexi Held, Kathryn Westbeld, and Kitija Laksa have been Whitcomb's pupils. Advertisement They've seen the Australian guard put up shot after shot in the practice facility. She currently leads the team in most shots attempted by a wide margin. It's something that Akoa Makani doesn't take lightly, as she explained on Wednesday. 'Sami is really that leader… she is always going to give 100% that she has,' Akoa Makani said. Throughout the season, the other three rookies have detailed Whitcomb's relentless work ethic and how inspiring it is. For someone like themselves, having some to relate to is an automatic win. Not to mention, she's succeeded in the WNBA, playing a pivotal role. Even if it's not how she performed in the WNBL in Australia, her skill set serves a valuable purpose and is one that every team aspires to have. Advertisement An elite career in two leagues isn't common to come by. As Whitcomb has always said, trusting the hard work and being committed is a lasting recipe for success. Who else values Sami Whitcomb's leadership on the Mercury? © John Jones-Imagn Images While head coach Nate Tibbetts receives the majority of the coaching headlines, his crew of assistants, such as Michael Joiner, help piece the Mercury's puzzle together. When he analyzed her film in the WNBL before the Mercury signed Whitcomb in free agency, Joiner was immediately in awe of her defense. Although she's a veteran, the defensive tenacity has been yet another blueprint the team has leaned on. Advertisement During training camp, Alyssa Thomas echoed that sentiment of Phoenix being a defensive-minded team. Safe to say it's worked well for them. Still, setting the tone as one of the most seasoned players on the team is something to be noted. From getting over on pick-and-rolls and being intelligently aggressive on that side, Joiner saw all he needed to see. However, he saw one thing more when the Mercury's rookies all joined forces with Whitcomb as the leader. 'Oh, she's been a leader since day one. I mean since day one,' Joiner said. 'She's been a great leader since day one. Taking Megan McConnell under her arms. Like you say, Kit, Kat… I think she's taking the most 3-point shot attempts for anybody just in practice. Advertisement 'She's a veteran who leads by example, leads with a voice, and I'm glad to coach her.' Sami Whitcomb's WNBA path inspires the Mercury and others © Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images All of the praise she's received from teammates, coaches, and executives stems back to trusting the process. It may not always be pretty, but consistency matters. After all, Laksa made her WNBA debut at 29 years old, after spending quality time overseas. Now, she leads the Mercury in 3-pointers made so far this season. The stories of Akoa Makani, Westbeld, and Held this season have echoed more of the same. At the end of the day, everyone's story is different, and that's something Whitcomb is all too familiar with. Advertisement When asked her advice to players who might be on a similar trajectory, she broke down how it all circles back to how much you love basketball. 'I think people get so hyper-focused on the WNBA being the ultimate goal. They see it as a failure if you aren't making it there,' Whitcomb said. 'I think I took that sort of completely out of the equation. Not making the WNBA wasn't the end-all be-all for my career. If you love playing basketball, getting to play professionally anywhere is a dream. 'For me, it was that I just wanted to keep getting better. I wanted to keep improving. Overseas, it was like, can I play in a better league next year? Can I average more points? Can I get better defense… It wasn't about comparing myself to other people in the WNBA or whatever. Can I just become the best version of myself? Ultimately, that led to being in the WNBA. Focus on you. Keep enjoying the process of just getting better at basketball, getting to hoop. We all want to make it to the league, but at this point, it's 156 (players). There are just not that many spots. Sometimes it might take longer, but don't be discouraged by that. If you love it, just keep playing, and trust that it's going to work out for you.' Related: Mercury waives TJ McConnell's sister Megan after injury

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store