Diamondbacks might as well be telling Mariners to hire Torey Lovullo

There's been plenty of discussion about who could replace Dan Wilson as manager in Seattle, including the likes of Alex Cora, Rocco Baldelli and former Mariners bullpen coach Stephen Vogt. Another name doing the rounds is Torey Lovullo, who just wants to be wanted. If the latest comments from Diamondbacks president and CEO Derrick Hall are anything to go by, the door is effectively wide open for the M's to make a move.

As per Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports, Hall made an appearance Tuesday morning with Mike Broomhead on KTAR News 92.3 FM. Almost inevitably the conversation turned to Lovullo, whose contract with the Diamondbacks expires at the end of this season. And what stood out most from this particular topic, was when Hall said:

"If he walks out this door, he's going to get a job in a heartbeat, and he should because I do think he's one of the best managers in the game."

Derrick Hall

This is an interesting situation, with the Diamondbacks seemingly ready to accept the strong possibility that Lovullo will not be back in Arizona next season. If Hall and company think so much of the 61-year-old though, why let him go? Why make him feel as if he's no longer appreciated by the organization?

Understanding the quality of Torey Lovullo means scratching below the surface level

Irrespective of the mindset of the Diamondbacks hierarchy, the Mariners really should take Hall's comments as their signal to pursue Lovullo. Detractors will likely point to his overall losing record in Arizona and just two playoff appearances in 10 years, but it's not as simple as that. The 2017 NL Manager of the Year has accrued six winning seasons in that time despite playing in the same division as the big-spending Dodgers and Padres, and even took his team to the World Series in 2023.

Lovullo also has a reputation for forging close relationships with his players, a la Wilson, and has a previous link to Jerry Dipoto from their time together in Boston. On top of all this, the Mariners have said their preference is to bring in a manger with previous experience, unlike Wilson and Scott Servais. And yet, you have to wonder how committed Dipoto is to following through with this?

As much as Dipoto appeared more contrite and humble than ever when speaking to the media on Tuesday, he has a reputation for wanting as much control as possible. As such, there is a concern about how willing he actually is to bring in an experienced manager who has their own way of doing things? This concern wasn't helped when ESPN's Jeff Passan appeared on Seattle Sports on Wednesday morning and said:

"As much as there are names being tied to the Mariners right now, I don't think they're just going to be looking at guys who have been there and done that. I don't think they have any problem with a first-time manager coming in, as long as he fits what they believe they want the culture to be."

Jeff Passan

Will Jerry Dipoto's ego allow him to give up more control to an experienced manager?

These comments from Passan will understandably get some alarm bells ringing, with him being one of the more respected insiders in the baseball media world. As much as the Mariners have admitted they need a culture reset, how confident can we be that Dipoto's ego will allow him to be more open to listening to other opinions? Even if it's a manager who knows what it actually takes to lead a team to the World Series?

Additionally, there's the question of if the Mariners can afford Lovullo, or are even willing to pay what it takes to hire him? During a recent appearance on Puck Sports with Jason Puckett, Ryan Divish said the M's pay a little over $1 million per year to their manager, whereas Lovullo's salary with the Diamondbacks is closer to $5 million. Now throw in the likelihood that he's going to be in demand if his time really is over in Arizona, and you can envision a bidding war that only raises his annual salary.

Ultimately, this comes down to how seriously the Mariners are going to follow through on all their talk about wanting an experienced manager, a culture reset and making more of a financial commitment. If they really mean it, then there doesn't seem to be much standing in the way of signing Lovullo. Certainly, it will be interesting to see who they bring in as the next manager, as it will give some indication of if they are truly doing whatever it takes to improve the situation in Seattle, or if it's just a case of all talk but little substance.

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