Torey Lovullo appears set to remain in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ dugout, with the manager and club agreeing to terms on a two-year contract that would carry him into an 11th season at the helm. The club had not announced the agreement, but the deal would keep the franchise’s longest-serving and winningest manager in place after Arizona’s injury-tested 86-win 2026 campaign.
Key takeaways
- Lovullo is expected to return on a two-year agreement after his previous contract situation remained unresolved through the season.
- Arizona won 86 games in 2026 but fell just short of what would have been Lovullo’s third trip to the postseason.
- Lovullo owns a 750-768 regular-season record with the Diamondbacks, including a 698-658 mark outside the 52-110 season of 2021.
- The Diamondbacks have finished above .500 in six of Lovullo’s nine full seasons, excluding the shortened 2020 schedule.
- Veteran third baseman Nolan Arenado praised Lovullo’s handling of a difficult season and said the players bore responsibility for missed opportunities.
A manager who kept the focus on the clubhouse
Lovullo arrived before the 2017 season after being hired by general manager Mike Hazen, and his Arizona tenure has included the club’s 2023 run to the World Series. That postseason push led to a three-year extension, but no public progress on another deal emerged during the 2026 season.
After Arizona’s season-ending 9-4 loss to the Padres, Lovullo said he had deliberately put his own uncertainty in a separate box while trying to serve the players in front of him.
“I tried to set it aside and stay present for the guys,” Lovullo said. “My situation needed to be a small thing in that clubhouse. When it was time to address it, it would get addressed. Until then, I didn’t know where it stood. There were decisions and things to consider for me and for the Diamondbacks.”
The final record carries the weight of that brutal 2021 season, when Arizona lost 110 games. Remove that year, and Lovullo’s body of work sits 40 games above .500. More important inside the organization, his clubs have regularly remained competitive despite the changing roster and the injuries that crowded the 2026 season.
Arizona remains home
A Southern California native, Lovullo has put down roots in Arizona and made clear at season’s end that he wanted the relationship to continue. His stated goal has not changed from the one that has followed him through winning seasons, a World Series appearance and leaner stretches: bring a championship to the Diamondbacks.
“I love Arizona. The people and the fans are outstanding,” Lovullo said. “The people I work with are incredible, and I enjoy being around them every day. I don’t want that to change. I want to win a world championship here.”
Lovullo’s standing has also been built on the quieter work away from the lineup card. Young players in the minor leagues have often been caught off guard by a congratulatory text from the big league manager after a strong performance, a small gesture that reflects the relationships he has built across the organization.
Arenado, the veteran third baseman, said Lovullo navigated the season’s adversity well while placing the final responsibility where players know it belongs.
“Torey is great,” Arenado said. “He had some hard things to handle this year, and I thought he did a really good job. Ultimately, it falls on the players. We didn’t do enough when we had chances to take care of business. That’s on us.”
