How Do D-backs Players Feel About Torey Lovullo?

Torey Lovullo is often an unpopular figure among Arizona Diamondbacks fans, particularly on social media. But how do his players perceive him?

Following the end of a disappointing 2025 season, owner Ken Kendrick, team president Derrick Hall and GM Mike Hazen came to the conclusion that they would bring Lovullo back for his 10th season as Arizona's manager.

Regardless of how fans feel about Lovullo, the players are the ones who have to show up and work with him day in and day out. So how do those players feel about their manager?

How Do Arizona Diamondbacks Feel About Torey Lovullo?

"I love Torey, personally," said reliever Ryan Thompson. "I can't speak for anybody else, I think Torey's an amazing manager, I think he's an amazing leader. I would go to war for that man. I think he's an awesome manager."

Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo had high praise for how Lovullo handled the brutal 2025 season.

"I feel he did a great job," Perdomo said. "Even if he got a really good team in the beginning and [the front office]... made a lot of changes, I feel like he handled it really well."

Even a newcomer like injured ace Corbin Burnes seemed to speak positively about Lovullo.

"This is my first year with Torey, and he was great," said Burnes.

"A lot of guys have played for him either their entire career or a majority of their career. He's a guy that a lot of guys respect in here... sellers at the trade Deadline and we still had a chance to make the postseason, that obviously says something about what he can do with this group."

One theme has been quite consistent in evaluating the job done by Arizona's long-tenured skipper. Decisions may not pan out, but the relationships he's built with players on a personal level has been beneficial in allowing potential to be realized.

"He's a player's coach," said starter Brandon Pfaadt. "He's always out there in BP, chit-chatting, trying to make small talk and make that connection with his players. Ever since I debuted in 2023, he's done that. He's gone above and beyond for us."

Hazen himself noted that relationship-building as a factor in the decision to retain Lovullo.

"The relationships he has with our players, the emergence of a star shortstop... those are the building blocks of things in my mind that aren't just seen out on the field," Hazen said.

"There's a lot here that Torey does so well that puts our players in a position to have success and be confident and feel good about what they're doing on a daily basis."

Even owner Ken Kendrick seems to agree.

"He has great respect among our players, and that's an important element when you look at a leader. If those who he leads respect him, that's a very, very positive sign," Kendrick said.

"The theme of our players is that they really, really want to go play for this guy."

The Point

Relationships are an important aspect of sports — and especially with regard to evaluating coaches. This article does not seek to defend any number of in-game or internal decisions that Lovullo may or may not have say over.

The point is D-backs' players, executives and owner generally seem to emphasize the same positive aspect of Lovullo's management.

"They're like my kids, and I want to protect them," Lovullo said of his players to Arizona Sports 98.7's Burns & Gambo Show.

Decisions on a game-to-game basis tend to hold less weight than a manager's ability to get the most respect and effort from his players.

As frustrating as it may be for fans, it's what goes on internally (away from the media and the on-field results) that influences whether to retain or part ways with a baseball manager.

Arizona Diamondbacks Latest News