PHOENIX – Torey Lovullo is back with a new two-year deal per MLB.com writer Steve Gilbert. The Arizona Diamondbacks have decided to retain their longtime manager, keeping one of the organization’s most familiar faces in place as the franchise begins another offseason of evaluation, but this decision is about more than Lovullo.
Torey Lovullo to stay with the Diamondbacks:
BREAKING: The @Dbacks will be retaining manager Torey Lovullo per sources.
— Steve Gilbert (@SteveGilbertMLB) October 1, 2026
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo looks on from the dugout during their game against the San Francisco Giants on June 29, 2026, at Chase Field in Phoenix. Credit: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It puts the spotlight directly on the relationship between the manager, general manager Mike Hazen, and the roster Arizona builds around them. Lovullo has been in the dugout since 2017, leading the Diamondbacks through some of the highest and lowest points in franchise history. His tenure includes the 2023 World Series run, but also the 52-110 disaster of 2021 and multiple seasons in which Arizona fell short of the postseason.
May 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo against the New York Mets at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
That history makes retaining him significant. Arizona is essentially saying that changing the manager is not the solution to what went wrong in 2026. Instead, the organization is betting on continuity while asking itself a much bigger question: Can the front office build a team capable of giving Lovullo another legitimate chance to win a championship?
May 10, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo against the New York Mets at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
That distinction matters to fans. Managers inevitably receive blame when teams underperform, but baseball is still driven by roster construction. Hazen has acknowledged that responsibility in the past, saying he must provide Lovullo with the resources necessary to win. That responsibility becomes even more important. Now Lovullo is staying, and the expectations should stay high.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
