Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte named NLCS MVP after setting MLB record to begin postseason career

Arizona Diamondbacks 2nd baseman Ketel Marte has been named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 National League Championship Series. Marte’s D-backs prevailed over the Phillies in Game 7 on Tuesday evening and complex to the World Series to face the Rangers. 

Across the seven-game collection, Marte batted .387/.406/.581 with 12 hits, 4 doubles, a triple, and a stolen base. His collection OPS of .987 used to be 2nd most effective to Kyle Schwarber’s 1.669 amongst those that performed incessantly. As neatly, the 28-year-old infielder set an MLB record via recording a success in every of his first 16 postseason video games. He additionally now personal the D-backs’ record for many hits in one postseason (19) with one collection left to play. He succeeds Bryce Harper of the Phillies because the winner of the award. 

Marte is solely the second one Diamondback to win the NLCS MVP award. The first used to be Craig Counsell in 2001. That yr, the Diamondbacks bested the Braves within the NLCS and went on to beat the Yankees in a vintage World Series for the primary and most effective name. 

In addition to placing up large numbers within the D-backs’ NLCS win over the Phillies, their NLDS win over the Dodgers, and their Wild Card Series win over the Counsell-led Brewers, Marte used to be additionally one of the crucial staff’s most sensible performers right through the common season. Across 150 video games, Marte slashed .276/.358/.485 (128 OPS+) with 25 house runs. 

Marte has for some time been one of the underrated gamers in baseball, however the addition of this actual piece of {hardware} and a travel to the World Series would possibly alternate that.