Mariners miss out on Torey Lovullo after manager talks his way back to Diamondbacks

Torey Lovullo is going back the Arizona Diamondbacks, which puts an end to the fun everyone had speculating about him as Dan Wilson's replacement as the Seattle Mariners' manager. It lasted three days, give or take.

It's a two-year contract that has reunited Lovullo with the Diamondbacks, according to Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Assuming he isn't fired between now and the end of the deal, this will extend the 61-year-old's run with the Snakes to 12 years.

It feels like Lovullo was able to successfully talk his way back into his gig in the desert. He spoke of wanting to feel wanted after the D-backs put an end to an 86-76 season. This was with his contract expiring, so the translation was clearly into "Make me an offer I can't refuse."

The D-backs evidently did, and that part should come as no surprise. CEO Derrick Hall didn't bother to hide his poker face when he spoke of Lovullo on Tuesday: "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."

The point is debatable, at least to the extent that Lovullo is 18 games under .500 in his 10 seasons with the Diamondbacks. Oh, and there is also his questionable handling of Ketel Marte. But on the other hand, he boasts two playoff berths, a World Series appearance and plenty of anecdotal testimony in his favor. What makes a good manager is hazy, yet he's clearly one of the good ones.

The Mariners' manager wish list is one name smaller after Torey Lovullo's return to Arizona

Adam Jude of The Seattle Times reported on Monday that the team had discussed Lovullo internally, and his credentials mapped onto what Jerry Dipoto laid out about his intentions in finding a new manager. He prefers someone with experience who could also bring in some fresh ideas.

“We will go outside to hire our manager,” Dipoto said later that same Monday. “We need fresh thought. We need something new. It could be a shift in programming. It could be a shift in messaging. It could be a shift in language.”

With Lovullo off the board, there goes perhaps the cleanest fit the Mariners could have asked for. Now it becomes a question of who is in a sweet spot between someone they can get and someone they actually want.

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt remains a long shot, but arguably the best pick based on his Seattle ties and impressive credentials. Other experienced types include Rocco Baldelli, Brandon Hyde and Chris Woodward.

Even if he lacks managerial experience, the name to watch might be Kristopher Negrón. He was with Seattle in various roles when many members of the current core came up in the early 2020s. He spent 2026 as the bench coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose 82-80 record would have been good enough to win the AL West. That mix of familiarity and outsider perspective could be ideal.

For now, we wait. And maybe not for much longer. With only so much time to do business before the lockout hits on December 1, the Mariners need to move fast to do that they can.

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