If the Arizona Diamondbacks are staring at a third straight playoff miss in 2026, the pressure won’t just land on the roster. It will hit the people steering the ship.
That’s where Torey Lovullo comes in. He has been in Arizona since before the 2017 season, which makes him one of the longest-tenured managers in baseball. Over that span, his run has included a rebuild, a trip to the World Series, and now a stretch in which fans are openly wondering whether the team has hit its ceiling.
The same scrutiny would fall on general manager Mike Hazen. The two have become closely tied as the public faces of the Diamondbacks’ baseball operations, so a major move involving one could easily drag the other into it. If Arizona misses the postseason for a third consecutive year after its 2023 World Series appearance, the conversation would naturally turn to whether that leadership group can still carry the franchise forward.
That’s what makes the 2026 question so pointed. It’s not just about another disappointing season. It’s about whether the organization believes this structure can still get the Diamondbacks back to October, or whether the window has already started to close.
For now, the answers are not clear. But the uncertainty is real, and it is only going to grow if the results don’t change. For Arizona, a third straight missed postseason would force a hard look at whether continuity is still the right move - or the thing holding the team back.
In Other News...
D-Backs Tribute Put One Current Young Arm Right In The Moment
The Diamondbacks weekend tribute to their 2001 World Series champions gave Chase Field a flashback feel, with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling back in the building and introduced as the co-MVPs from that title run. The two pitchers even recreated the trophy raise in the same spot where the celebration happened in 2001, turning a regular-season series against the Yankees into a reminder of the franchises biggest moment.
For the current roster, the event was more than nostalgia. Young reliever Justin Martinez was among the players who spent time with the former champions, and he made it clear how much he valued the chance to be around them and pick up whatever he could. For a club still shaping its next core, those kinds of interactions can matter just as much as the ceremony itself. [Read more 🡒]
Torey Lovullo's Future Just Raised The Stakes For Diamondbacks Fans
Torey Lovullo has made the next stretch of Diamondbacks baseball feel a lot bigger than the standings alone would suggest. The manager acknowledged that his status for the 2027 season likely hinges on whether Arizona reaches the postseason in 2026, a reality that adds weight to every game as the club pushes for a Wild Card spot.
Lovullo is not under contract beyond 2026, and he expects to be let go if the Diamondbacks miss the playoffs again. With a difficult schedule still ahead, the path to October remains narrow enough on its own, but now there is also a looming question about how much patience the organization will have if the chase falls short. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Arenado's Decision Is Giving The Diamondbacks A Real Chance
Nolan Arenados willingness to keep playing through a left intercostal injury and an inflamed thumb has become one of the more notable developments in the Diamondbacks late-season chase. Arizona wanted to put him on the injured list, but Arenado pushed back on that idea and stayed in the lineup, giving the club another veteran bat at a time when every game carries extra weight.
Since then, he has been productive enough to matter in a meaningful way, hitting .321 with a 1.031 OPS over 16 games in September. That kind of stretch does not solve everything, but it has helped keep Arizona within 4.0 games of the NL Wild Card race, and it gives the Diamondbacks a better shot than they seemed to have when the injury first surfaced. [Read more 🡒]