Diamondbacks retain Lovullo on new two-year deal

The Arizona Diamondbacks are keeping Torey Lovullo as manager under a fresh two-year contract after his previous deal expired at season’s end. Lovullo, 61, owns the most managerial wins in club history across 10 seasons and remains a popular figure inside the organization.

Near-miss season and internal support

Arizona posted an 86-76 mark, the strongest record among clubs that failed to reach October baseball, yet was knocked out of contention on the final day of the regular season for the second time in three years. That extended a stretch of three straight seasons without playoffs. Lovullo had suggested a postseason berth would be needed for him and his staff to stay, but club president Derrick Hall recently described the skipper’s work this year as possibly his strongest yet while the roster dealt with major injuries and distractions that included star Ketel Marte’s absence in August.

Decade-long tenure and background

Lovullo’s overall ledger stands at 750-768, highlighted by a surprise World Series appearance in 2023. He is the third-longest-tenured manager in the majors behind Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash and Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts. Before managing, he played eight big-league seasons with seven teams in the 1980s and 1990s, served as Boston’s bench coach for the 2013 World Series champions, and played college ball at UCLA. He has called Arizona home and spoken warmly of the fans and the people he works with daily.

Division hurdles and roster issues

Hired four weeks after Hazen became general manager, Lovullo has spent his entire Arizona tenure alongside the front office in a National League West dominated by the Dodgers, winners of 13 of the last 14 division titles, and a Padres club that has reached the postseason in five of the past seven years. This season began with October expectations and featured summer contention, yet the team never fully clicked. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly struggled in the rotation while injuries sidelined Corbin Burnes, A.J. Puk, Justin Martinez and prospect Jordan Lawlar. Catcher Gabriel Moreno won the NL batting title, though Marte, Corbin Carroll and Geraldo Perdomo produced uneven results.