A missed playoff berth will put the microscope on Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo, Mike Hazen
Is Torey Lovullo or Mike Hazen more to blame if the Arizona Diamondbacks miss the playoffs?
Watch: Bickley Blast: Is Torey Lovullo or Mike Hazen more to blame if D-backs miss playoffs? | 1 min
The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a strange place entering their final home series of the season. Part of the mood is celebratory, a franchise ready to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their only World Series championship.
And the rest of it is pure desperation, a team with fading and flickering playoff hopes.
But there is also something very compelling and very familiar about this moment:
Just like the 2001 World Series, the Diamondbacks are a team licking their wounds and on the brink of elimination — a team that needs to find a way to beat the Yankees twice at Chase Field. Three times would be even better.
So much is on the line. Fail to make the playoffs for the eighth time in the span of nine years, and it’s hard not to see big changes coming. But I don’t want manager Torey Lovullo to get fired.
I know this isn’t popular among the pitchfork crowd, but I think most of the blame lands in the lap of general manager Mike Hazen, who whiffed at the trade deadline and failed to trade Ketel Marte in the offseason.
But just like Lovullo, I don’t think the Diamondbacks are going to find a better GM than Hazen.
It’s a tough deal. You cannot reward mediocrity.
But you don’t let good people go out of frustration and circumstance. The 7 Seconds or Less Suns learned that lesson the hard way.
So, it’s about time the Diamondbacks rise from the muck of mediocrity and make a dramatic last stand at Chase Field. Just like they did 25 years ago.
Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on Arizona Sports 98.7.
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Comments
28 Comments
I don’t get this “TL has done a good job” crap I keep hearing. If he’s so good, why are they going to miss the playoffs again? I swear, there’s a baked in excuse every year for this guy. Whether it’s injuries or underperforming players. At some point call a spade a spade. Every manager could use the “injuries” excuse at the end of the season. I hear these guys make complaints about TL all year long, but then at the end of the season they say, let’s give him another chance. NO! It’s time to move on. Why is it that we are always competitive most of the year, but then at down the stretch, all of the other teams in the race lap us like we’re standing still? What else do you need to see? Aren’t you sick of watching this team fall apart like a cigarette ash at the end of the season? I don’t understand why there are some people that like this guy so much. What has he done?
With 12 out of 30 teams making the playoffs, Diamondbacks should have been more aggressive at the trade deadline. Mediocre teams regularly reach the postseason and even advance to the World Series. (Texas vs Arizona 2023) Not getting a first baseman and additional pitching was a huge mistake. Instead we got Nootbaar?
And scheduled days off are frustrating. Giving Moreno a day off with only 15 games left—while holding just a half-game lead in the Wild Card race and having a scheduled off day the very next day—does not make sense at this critical point in the season. They can do better than Hazen and Lovullo. It's time.
Gallen has curdled and became cottage cheese since the 2025 season!
Gallen was one of the nine worst starting pitchers in the MLB for the 2025 season (he was joined by Pfaadt in this 'club' and E-Rod would have made this club if he pitched enough innings, he was injured for a part of the 2025).
Gallen was the worst starting pitcher in the MLB for the 2026 season at the time of his injury.
Gallen is a has-been...his last great season was 2022...he pitched good for the 2023 season but it has been all downhill since. No club wanted to trade for him before the 2025 trade deadline. No club wanted to sign him as a free agent during the 2025 post-season...Gallen wanted $30M and a 4-6 years that are guaranteed.
Looking at E-Rod and Pfaadt...E-Rod lost over 20 lbs during the off season and reported to spring training in shape and not overweight. Pfaadt was sent to Reno where the Reno pitching coaches made two adjustments to his delivery and look at the results! Both E-Rod and Pfaadt are now top pitchers in the MLB...and you can't even trade a Gatorade cooler for Gallen!