The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a two-year contract extension with manager Torey Lovullo, keeping the franchise’s winningest skipper at the helm for his 11th season after the team missed the postseason on the final day of the regular season with an 86-76 record.
Torey Lovullo Signs Two-Year Extension to Stay in Arizona
The Arizona Diamondbacks are bringing back manager Torey Lovullo on a two-year deal, locking in their skipper ahead of the 2027 Major League Baseball season. A person with direct knowledge of the agreement confirmed the terms to the Associated Press ahead of an official team announcement.
Lovullo finished the 2026 campaign on a one-year contract following seasons where the club hovered near playoff contention before fading late. His new deal aligns his timeline directly with general manager Mike Hazen, whose most recent contract runs through 2028 with a club option for 2029.
The Diamondbacks are keeping their bench boss. Entering the year with championship aspirations, Arizona stayed in the playoff hunt all summer long, though the squad ultimately fell short of its ceiling.
Narrow Miss and Emotional Finish to the 2026 Season
Arizona finished the year with an 86-76 record, marking the best record in Major League Baseball for a team that failed to reach the postseason. The Diamondbacks were officially eliminated on the final day of the regular season when the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 7-4, mirroring an elimination scenario from two years prior.
Throughout 2025, the D-backs remained in the postseason picture for months prior to a late-season slide that resulted in an 80-82 mark. Back in 2024, Arizona collected 89 victories, yet was excluded from the postseason following a tiebreaker defeat against the New York Mets.
Speaking to reporters after weekend losses to the San Diego Padres, Lovullo reflected on the painful conclusion to the summer chase.
“I kept glancing at it to see, and it was painful.”
Torey Lovullo, Arizona Diamondbacks Manager, via Azfamily
Days before the extension was finalized, Lovullo admitted his future in the desert was uncertain and expressed a simple desire regarding his professional standing.
Front Office Support and Interest from Other Clubs
Despite a tough finish and reports of clubhouse friction involving star player Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ front office maintained strong support for their manager. Team CEO Derrick Hall noted that Lovullo would have secured another job instantly if he tested the open market, pointing to widespread respect across the league.
That outside interest was real. Reports indicated that the Seattle Mariners identified Lovullo as a leading candidate for their managerial vacancy before Arizona locked him into his new two-year agreement.
Decade-Long Tenures and Roster Outlook for 2027
Lovullo holds the franchise record as the winningest manager in Diamondbacks history, compiling a 750-768 record over a full decade at the helm. Hired after the 2016 season alongside Hazen, he earned NL Manager of the Year honors in 2017 and guided the franchise to an unexpected World Series appearance in 2023.
Having played his college ball at UCLA, he previously served as bench coach for the Boston Red Sox during their 2013 World Series championship run.
Entering his 11th season, Lovullo is the third-longest tenured manager in Major League Baseball, trailing only Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash and Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts. He returns to a core that features most of its starting lineup intact.
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