Diamondbacks future with Torey Lovullo likely to rely on playoff outcome originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the middle of a very contested postseason hunt in the NL Wild Card with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies.
Entering Sunday's slate of games, the Diamondbacks were tied with both clubs but, due to tiebreakers, got a spot in the playoffs. But things could easily fall apart between now and the end of September.
For Torey Lovullo, a lot appears to be riding on the playoffs. According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, if the Diamondbacks miss the postseason, they're likely to fire Lovullo. His job relies upon making the postseason or not.
Torey Lovullo's D-Backs job relies on postseason berth
"Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, barring a dramatic change, likely must make the playoffs to keep his job," Nightengale writes. "He's in the final year of his contract, and there have been no talks about an extension."
Arizona is currently 66-59 on the season after a loss on Sunday against the Atlanta Braves. But with two Wild Card spots up for grabs, the D-Backs don't have any room for error. This loss could hurt them drastically.
And for Lovullo, it seems like his future as the Diamondbacks manager relies on whether he can help lead this team to the postseason.
The former Manager of the Year and 2023 National League champion has a solid resume to start his D-Backs managerial career, and in the last couple of seasons.
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But the 80-82 record last year, and the mediocre seasons before that, outside of a World Series appearance in 2023, have Lovullo's job in question.
While there is still a chance the Diamondbacks bring him back if they fail to reach the postseason, missing the playoffs would give them a clean way to move on from the 10th-year manager.
His future with the ballclub is very much in doubt as the 2026 season rolls along. He's not under contract beyond the season, and this report from Nightengale reveals he's more likely than not to be let go if the D-Backs fall short of the postseason this year.
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