The Arizona Diamondbacks are still in the thick of a tight National League Wild Card race with the San Diego Padres as September opens, but there’s already some chatter about what comes next for the club.
One of the biggest questions floating around is Torey Lovullo’s future, especially with Kete Marte’s antics adding to the noise around the team. Still, MLB insider Robert Murray of Fansided.com doesn’t see Arizona moving on from its manager.
Murray laid out five reasons he expects Lovullo to remain in the dugout for another season. He wrote: "Lovullo is one of the best managers in baseball," Murray writes.
"He has a great relationship with Mike Hazen, the Diamondbacks' general manager. His players love him.
His teams always compete and play hard. If for some reason he was let go, he'd be hired elsewhere in a second."
That first point is the most debatable on paper, given Lovullo’s 738-759 record over 10 seasons managing the Diamondbacks. But the bigger picture is harder to ignore. His connection with the front office, especially Hazen, is a major piece of the equation, and so is the way he’s built trust in the clubhouse.
The Marte situation only underscores that chemistry matters. In a tense spot like that, the manager has to have the players with him, and Murray believes Lovullo does.
Murray also pointed to the way Arizona plays under Lovullo, saying his teams always compete and play hard. That alone may not be the deciding factor, but it helps strengthen the case that the Diamondbacks have little reason to make a change.
There’s also the simple reality that if Arizona did let him go, he’d likely have options fast. Murray noted that a veteran manager with a Manager of the Year award would not be waiting long for another job.
He mentioned the New York Mets as a fit, though added that it’s "not happening." And while some Diamondbacks fans may be ready for a new voice, Murray made his stance clear: "I cannot see a scenario where he's let go. He'll stay in Arizona."
So even with questions swirling, Murray’s view is that Lovullo is on track for an 11th season in Arizona.
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