Why Brutal Roster Decision Was Best For Diamondbacks

Lovullo touched on the difficulty of saying goodbye to the longest-tenured member of Arizona's organization in Herrera.

"Those are tough conversations. When it gets to that level, [GM Mike Hazen] is the one that handles the initial conversation. I was able to follow up with [Herrera] and just tell him how much he meant to this organization and the great things that he's done for this organization will never be forgotten," Lovullo said.

In what should come as no surprise, Lovullo had nothing but positives to say about the job Herrera has done for the D-backs over the years.

"Talk about toughness, engagement, and the ability to care about his brother. I think he's at the head of the class. So a great example for what we all want to be if we're talking about being an Arizona Diamondback," Lovullo said.

"If he clears waivers, I'm hoping he comes back. If he doesn't, he's in the big leagues. But [Moreno]'s ready. We had to make a tough decision... and Gabi being back means we're a really good baseball team. We're getting an elite catcher, a gold glove catcher. You can't run on him."

Arizona Diamondbacks' Torey Lovullo on Retaining James McCann

Lovullo said that while Herrera could be considered a veteran himself, McCann's lengthy career allows him to provide a different type of veteran perspective.

"It just depends on how you define leadership. I do think that McCann has seen a few more things. I think he's logged a couple more innings, and that gives him a little bit more confidence to understand what the bigger picture is.

"It's mound visits. It's the calming conversations. It's the engagement in-between innings. It's the engagement in meetings. All those little things that everybody might not be able to see that he's very comfortable with.

"[Herrera] was doing the same... but I think McCann's experience probably had a little bit of an edge over [Herrera], and that was one of the major reasons why I think we made the decision."

Lovullo said McCann's ability to form relationships with Arizona's pitching staff stood out in the decision-making process.

"We see that bond, and we see the success, and the earned run average in the bullpen has been considerably less since McCann's been on board. We notice those little trends and habits, and I love the fact that those guys want to throw to McCann and feel comfortable throwing to McCann.

"I get to see the personality, and that experience comes up every single day. And I think he knows what his job is to go out and establish rapport with these guys on that level to allow them to perform and be the best version of themselves," Lovullo said.

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