Arizona Diamondbacks Pick Up 2023 Option on Manager Torey Lovullo
The Arizona Diamondbacks announced via Twitter Tuesday afternoon that they will be retaining Torey Lovullo, exercising his 2023 option.
Lovullo will return to manage the Diamondbacks for his seventh season with the club in 2023.
Lovullo was hired by Diamondbacks' general manager Mike Hazen to replace Chip Hale, upon the conclusion of the 2016 season.
In their first year under their new skipper, the Diamondbacks saw a 34-win improvement from 2016 to 2017, reversing their record of 69-93 to 93-69. Lovullo was rewarded with the 2017 National League Manager of the Year award.
In 2018, the Diamondbacks entered September tied with the Los Angles Dodgers for the National League West division-lead. Arizona entirely collapsed, going just 8-18 over the final month of the season, and hasn't been back to the playoffs since.
The club has struggled to find an identity since trading superstar first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, the current odds-on favorite for National League MVP in most sportsbooks.
The Diamondbacks finished 52-110 in 2021, tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles. Lovullo's club has shown significant improvement in 2022, however.
The Diamondbacks were 60-67 entering play Tuesday. The club has won eight more games than it did a year ago, over 127 games.
Lovullo enters 2023 in the final year of his contract, hoping to turn a corner with his club.
The Diamondbacks have the fifth-best farm system according to MLB.com and enter the winter with a lot of payroll flexibility.
Monday the Diamondbacks called up outfielder Corbin Carroll, the no. 3 prospect in all of baseball. Carroll made his Major League debut Monday night, collecting his first career hit.
