Ketel Marte Explains 'Burning Bridges' Hat Choice After Viral Photo From Diamondbacks Return

Arizona Diamondbacks veteran Ketel Marte said Tuesday he wasn't fully aware of the meaning of the message that said "may the bridges I burn light the way" on the hat he wore Monday.

"I didn't know what it was," he told Johnny Flores Jr. of The Athletic. "... I didn't know I had that hat on. I didn't know, I just put it on."

Flores explained that Marte's first language is Spanish and he uses an interpreter for interviews. The comments came after he was read a direct translation of the message on the hat.

The hat certainly made headlines considering he was away from the Diamondbacks for 13 games after he did not show up at Fenway Park for a game against the Boston Red Sox last month. Arizona initially placed him on the restricted list for three games before moving him to the injured list due to inflammation in his left knee.

He told reporters Monday he was going to apologize to his teammates and said, "We're human, we all make mistakes."

The story made more headlines when he was away from the team and seen at a casino when the Diamondbacks were playing a game, although manager Torey Lovullo said Marte was "free to do whatever he wants" as long as he was completing his rehab work.

On Tuesday, Lovullo said, "I want to move past this Ketel stuff as quickly as possible. I think if you chop up those words, maybe he's taking some accountability. He feels like he's done some things, and he wants to get better. That's how I read it."

Arizona is tied with the San Diego Padres for the final wild-card spot in the National League, so it is surely hoping to receive a much-needed boost from Marte's return.

The three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger played designated hitter and hit fourth in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies.