Torey Lovullo has cast doubt on his future as Arizona Diamondbacks manager after the club missed out on the playoffs on the final day of the regular season.
Arizona’s hopes of claiming the final National League wild-card place ended when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays. The Diamondbacks then lost to the San Diego Padres in their final game in California.
Lovullo, whose current contract expires after the season, said he wanted to remain in charge but needed to feel that he was valued by the organisation.
“Arizona’s my home. I love Arizona and the people, and the fans are spectacular, so the group that I work for is amazing,” he told reporters after Sunday’s defeat.
“I love being around them every single day. I don’t want that to change. I want to win a world championship with this organisation, but I want to be wanted.”
Lovullo is the winningest manager in Diamondbacks history, with a 750-768 record over a decade in charge. His tenure has included five winning seasons in the past nine years and Arizona’s run to the 2023 World Series.
Asked whether he would consider returning on another short-term contract, Lovullo was non-committal.
“I don’t know. I just want to be wanted. I’ll leave it at that,” he said. “It’s hard to say. It’s probably not the conversation to have right now. I need to think about a few things.”
The Diamondbacks will now begin the off-season without a post-season place, while the club’s hierarchy considers whether Lovullo will lead the team into the next campaign.
