Despite missing the postseason for a third straight year, the Arizona Diamondbacks are sticking with their longtime skipper.
As first reported by Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic, manager Torey Lovullo agreed to a new two-year contract with the Diamondbacks on Thursday. This lines him up with general manager Mike Hazen, whose contract runs through 2028 with a club option for 2029.
Lovullo, 61, has led the Diamondbacks to a 750-768 record in 10 seasons at the helm and holds the most wins by a manager in franchise history. His teams have reached the postseason twice since he took over the job, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first season (2017 NLDS) and falling to the Texas Rangers in the 2023 World Series.
In each of the past few years, the Diamondbacks have narrowly missed the playoffs, fighting off elimination until the final regular-season series. They won 89 games in 2024 but ended up on the short end of a tiebreaker with the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. Last year, they finished under .500 (80-82) but were mathematically in the Wild Card race until dropping Game 160 to the San Diego Padres.
The 2026 Diamondbacks made it to Game 162 needing a win and a Philadelphia Phillies loss to punch their ticket to October. They got neither, ending the season with an 86-76 record. It was a tumultuous campaign for Arizona, marked by major injuries and distractions that included the bizarre absence of star second baseman Ketel Marte.
Lovullo’s contract expired after the season, leaving his future with the Diamondbacks in flux. FanSided’s Robert Murray reported earlier Thursday that the longtime manager was expected to draw extensive interest around the league if Arizona chose to move in a different direction.
Ultimately, the Diamondbacks decided to bring back Lovullo for an 11th season. He is currently the third-longest-tenured manager in the big leagues behind Kevin Cash and Dave Roberts. A news conference with Lovullo and Hazen is scheduled to take place later Thursday.
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