The Mariners’ next managerial search is already circling one name, and Torey Lovullo is making his own case in plain sight.
After 10 seasons running the Diamondbacks, Lovullo is giving off the sense that his future in Arizona is unsettled. He said Sunday, “I want to win a world championship with this organization, but I want to be wanted.” That line lands with extra weight now, because Seattle is suddenly in the market for a more experienced voice after Dan Wilson’s run ended and the focus shifts to Jerry Dipoto’s next move.
Lovullo doubled down when asked whether he’d take another short-term deal for next season. He again said he wants to be wanted, while also acknowledging that it’s hard to know where things stand with emotions running high after Arizona missed the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years. Still, the message is there for anyone listening.
And the Mariners should be listening.
Seattle has already moved through Scott Servais and Wilson, and the argument now is that the club needs someone who has actually navigated the biggest stage. Lovullo has done that. He managed the Diamondbacks to the World Series in 2023, and while his résumé includes only two playoff appearances in 10 seasons, it also includes six winning seasons while operating in the same division as the Dodgers and Padres.
There’s more than just the playoff trip to like here. Lovullo has a reputation for building strong relationships with players, something that lines up with what Seattle has valued before. He also has a prior connection with Dipoto from their time together in Boston, which only adds to the fit.
The interest is not just theoretical, either. Jeff Passan recently named Lovullo as a potential target during an appearance on Seattle Sports with Brock Huard and Mike Salk. And Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times retweeted Bob Nightengale’s quote about Lovullo wanting to be wanted, another sign that this name is very much in the conversation.
That conversation appears to have reached the front office already. In an article Monday laying out five possible Wilson replacements, Adam Jude reported that Seattle has had internal discussions about Lovullo and that he is apparently a leading candidate.
The question is whether the Mariners will actually follow through.
Cost may be the biggest obstacle. Divish said on his weekly segment on Puck Sports that Seattle pays its manager a little over $1 million per year, while Jones noted that Lovullo’s salary is reportedly closer to $5 million annually. That gap is hard to ignore, and it fits a familiar pattern for a team that too often gets in its own way when it comes to spending.
If Dipoto is serious about getting this right, Lovullo is the kind of candidate worth a real call. He brings experience, he’s been to the World Series, and he has already made it clear what he wants. The only question is whether the Mariners are willing to meet that moment.
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