Even though the Arizona Diamondbacks are wrapping up what could be the worst season in franchise history, they still have faith that manager Torey Lovullo can turn things around eventually. The team announced on Thursday that Lovullo received a one-year extension that will keep him with the organization for 2022.
The announcement was made by Arizona’s general manager Mike Hazen in a chat with reporters and later confirmed via the team’s social media.
Hazen said that Lovullo was offered a new deal, that includes a team option for 2023, because the organization believes he did a good job despite a historically bad season.
“Through everything the season has presented, Torey did a good job of getting guys through this, even in a season where we might set a franchise-worst record,” Hazen said via ESPN.
Arizona Diamondbacks are currently sitting at 49-104 record and have lost 14 games out of the last 17 they played. Not counting the 2020 shortened season, the franchise’s worst campaign was in 2004 when they finished with a 51-111 record.
Torey Lovullo was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks ahead of the 2017 MLB season, just several weeks after Hazen took over as general manager. The duo shared a connection after previously working together on different positions with the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox.
Lovullo led Arizona to an impressive 93-69 record in his first season with the franchise and helped the Diamondbacks reach the playoffs for the first time since 2011. The following two campaigns saw the team being above .500 before posting a 25-35 record in shortened 2020 MLB season.
