Torey Lovullo Signing 2-Year Extension With D-backs Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans: “Owners Have Zero Ambition”

Torey Lovullo has been the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2017 and has a 750-768 record with 2 playoffs appearances.

Torey Lovullo Signing 2-Year Extension With D-backs Doesn’t Sit Well With Fans: “Owners Have Zero Ambition”

Torey Lovullo (Image via X/@mlbtraderumors)

After days of speculation, there was a major update regarding the Torey Lovullo situation on Thursday. The 61-year-old signed a 2-year contract extension with the Arizona Diamondbacks and agreed to remain as their manager.

The 2026 campaign was a year when the D-backs did have their moments but ultimately ended up short once again. After winning 7 games in a row, they lost their final 2 games of the season and finished with an 86-76 record.

Those 2 losses turned out to be huge. They finished 2 games behind the final NL Wild Card team, the Philadelphia Phillies. The NL West side did have the tiebreaker over them, so had they finished with the same record, the D-backs would have been in the NL Wild Card Series.

Following their elimination, there were several questions regarding the future of Lovullo. His contract was up, and there was no word whether his time was up in Arizona or not.

As per reports from MLB.com, he reached out to General Manager Mike Hazen on Wednesday. The two soon came to an agreement over a contract extension. While a decision regarding the coaching staff will be made later, Lovullo will return to the D-backs dugout on a 2-year deal.

Lovullo has been the manager of the D-backs since 2017. In his 10-year tenure so far, he has a 750-768 record and has led the team to the postseason twice, reaching the World Series in 2023, where they lost 4-1 to the Texas Rangers.

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Social media reacts to Torey Lovullo returning as manager of D-backs on a 2-year deal

The Torey Lovullo era will continue in Arizona. On Thursday, reports emerged that he had agreed to a new 2-year deal and will remain with the Diamondbacks for another 2 years.

Torey Lovullo
Torey Lovullo (Image via X/@baseballisdead_)

This decision did not sit well with fans on social media. On X, many shared some wild reactions while raising their voices against this move. One user wrote, “Owners have zero ambition,” while taking a shot at the team.

Check out that and some other reactions below:

At the moment, Lovullo is the 3rd longest-tenured manager in the MLB, behind Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays and Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Torey Lovullo claims he will not keep protecting Ketel Marte the same way he did before

One of the biggest stories of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2026 season was the Ketel Marte situation in August. On Thursday, the manager claimed he will not keep protecting him the same way moving forward as he did before.

Torey Lovullo and Ketel Marte
Torey Lovullo and Ketel Marte (Image via X/@Dbacks/X/@JustBB_Media)

The 3-time All-Star stunned the world with his sudden absence from the team. When the team traveled to Boston to take on the Boston Red Sox, Marte did not show up for the game at Fenway Park.

Lovullo was seen a bit emotional when asked about his disappearance. The team later placed the second baseman on the restricted list.

Marte’s agent later claimed he was dealing with a personal problem and would undergo an MRI scan. A couple of days later, he met Lovullo and GM Hazen.

The whole situation regarding Marte left the team frustrated. He did return later on and played in games, and finished the year playing 141 games and hitting 22 home runs.

However, after what happened this season, Lovullo will be changing some of his ways. The manager, who has often extended his support to Marte, will not protect him the way he did before.

The decisions you make are going to be on you now. I am going to eliminate protecting you the way I have. I can’t do that anymore. At a certain point, I have to allow them (players) to advocate for themselves.

Torey Lovullo said via John Gambadoro

Some would say the Marte situation affected the morale of the team in the midst of a postseason push. Everyone involved with the D-backs would like to put this behind them and hope for a strong showing in the next season.

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