ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Torey Lovullo defends D-backs owner Ken Kendrick’s willingness to spend

Jan 16, 2025, 11:35 AM

Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick has been consistent — and honest — about his views on spending money. If there’s cash available and a good reason to spend it, he will.

But as the Chase Field renovation necessity and lease negotiation hover over the franchise, the D-backs owner will rightfully or wrongfully hear criticism about any signs of his apprehensive spending habits. That’s just how it works if you’re a billionaire owner of a pro sports franchise.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, a day after the team introduced free agent signee and four-time MLB All-Star Corbin Burnes, would like to point out Kendrick’s history of supporting him and general manager Mike Hazen since they arrived in 2017.

“I thought the process would take a little bit longer,” Lovullo said of how quickly Burnes and Arizona negotiated a massive contract.

Then Lovullo went on this tangent:

“Ken has been unbelievable. There’s this underlying narrative that he’s not a big spender. Ken has spent money every year that I’ve been here. The payroll has increased, he reinvests. … He’s a tremendous owner in that space.”

Lovullo rattled off the proof that’s in the pitchers who the D-backs have added as free agents lately: Zack Greinke (2016), Madison Bumgarner (2020), Eduardo Rodriguez (2024), Jordan Montgomery (2024) and now Burnes.

Corbin Burnes pitched D-backs owner Ken Kendrick into being willing to spend

Reports of Arizona and Burnes agreeing to a six-year, $210 million contract with an opt-out surfaced on Dec. 30.

His interest initially caught the D-backs by surprise.

Burnes, 30, is coming off an All-MLB First Team season in which he posted a 2.92 ERA, 1.096 WHIP and for the third straight season put in more than 190 innings of work.

Kendrick in Burnes’ introductory press conference Wednesday admitted the D-backs didn’t begin the offseason with Burnes on their list of priorities. Burnes, whose family has lived in Arizona since 2018, wanted to be close to his wife and three young children, and the ask in his first free agency was for agent Scott Boras to find out if the Diamondbacks were a possible landing spot.

“We learned there was some interest from Corbin and his representatives and that inspired us,” Kendrick said. “We began to talk and realized there probably was a model we could make work and we moved pretty aggressively through several days of discussion to get to the goal line.

“But when the offseason started, it was not part of the business model. They helped it be a part of the business model by reaching out.”

Lovullo, who was visiting his mother in Southern California, had heard adding Burnes was under discussion. When a deal was done publicly, he woke up to a “wall of texts,” many from people whom he doesn’t talk to frequently.

“Ken gave us all the best Christmas present we could all hope for,” Lovullo said. “Once I knew that Ken was engaged (with Burnes) and he was committed to it, I knew he would go out there and make it happen.”

Kendrick on Wednesday showed awareness that he carries the perception of someone who is not always willing to spend. Asked if he had a message for fans, it was that committing to Burnes should “underscore” he and the team’s leadership are doing everything in their power to chase titles.

“We are stretching the budget. We have done that,” Kendrick said. “It won’t be the last time we ever do it. My view of investing money is you invest it when there’s an opportunity to get a return.

“I’m kind of aging out on this,” he added. “I’d kind of like to have some additional success before I go off into the sunset, so we’ll see how it works out.”

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