The Mariners wanted a manager from outside the organization, and now one of the names at the top of their list comes with a loud reminder attached: don’t wait too long.
On Tuesday morning, Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall made that point plain during an appearance with Mike Broomhead on KTAR 92.3. Hall didn’t just praise Torey Lovullo - he essentially announced that any team interested in him should move fast.
“If he walks out this door, he’s going to get a job in a heartbeat, and he should because I do think he’s one of the best managers in the game,” Hall said.
That kind of public endorsement matters because Lovullo is already being viewed as a serious possibility in Seattle. The Seattle Times reported that the Mariners’ front office has discussed him internally, and MLB.com reported that Arizona and Lovullo had not discussed a new extension entering the week. His current deal runs through the 2026 season.
Lovullo has also made clear he wants to remain in Arizona, while also saying he “wants to be wanted.” That leaves Seattle in an interesting spot: if the Mariners believe he fits, they may need to act with some urgency before the market does it for them.
Jerry Dipoto has said the search will be thorough, and that sounds right for a decision this important. The Mariners are expected to talk to multiple candidates, compare approaches and do the full background work before settling on a choice. But they also know they need to move with purpose.
After Dan Wilson’s departure, Dipoto said the club would hire from outside the organization and likely target someone with major-league managerial experience. He also said Seattle needs a manager who can poke holes in the organization’s thinking.
Lovullo checks a lot of those boxes on paper. He has managed the Diamondbacks for 10 seasons, won the NL pennant in 2023 and earned a reputation for building strong relationships with players.
Still, the Mariners can’t let the praise do the evaluation for them. Arizona has reached the postseason twice during Lovullo’s tenure, but the Diamondbacks have missed it in each of the last three seasons since that World Series run. Seattle still needs real answers about his in-game management, his standards in the clubhouse and his ability to hold players accountable.
If Dipoto really wants a manager who can challenge the organization’s assumptions, then that person has to be given real authority. Hiring an experienced manager and then boxing him in would defeat the purpose. The next voice in that dugout has to matter.
The Mariners do have something to sell. They can point to a roster that was one year removed from Game 7 of the ALCS, an established pitching infrastructure and a chance to help shape a reworked coaching staff. The bigger question is whether this search is about more than changing the name on the office door.
Hall may want Lovullo to stay in Arizona, but his comments sounded like a warning to everyone else: if he gets to market, be ready.
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But the path to getting there may be far murkier than the fit itself. Reports say the Blue Jays are expected to pursue Suzuki this winter, and Torontos bigger payroll and greater willingness to spend could make a bidding fight difficult for Seattle to win. For the Mariners, the question is not just whether Suzuki helps, but whether they can realistically stay in the race if the market turns into the sort of spending contest their front office usually has to avoid. [Read more 🡒]