D-backs’ Torey Lovullo avoids suspension following ejection, expects fine

PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters on Tuesday that he had not been suspended for Monday’s ejection in a 9-8 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Lovullo is, however, expecting to be fined after a compromise with MLB senior vice president Michael Hill.

He was ejected after D-backs OF Corbin Carroll — fresh off his National League Player of the Week nod — was hit by a pitch for the second time in as many at-bats against Phillies LHP Matt Strahm.

Torey Lovullo was ejected after Corbin Carroll’s second HBP of the night.

And then the benches cleared. pic.twitter.com/rpMpv7fgYm

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) June 13, 2023

Lovullo came out of the dugout and said home plate umpire Vic Carapazza told him to go back or get ejected.

The manager did not leave the field, and words were exchanged between him and Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto before benches and bullpens cleared.

“I was arguing and saying that, ‘I know you weren’t trying to hit him, but you hit him two times and you just can’t do that, that has to stop,'” Lovullo explained on Tuesday.

“That’s kind of where I was, after the ejection. I was talking to J.T. And I’m sure I said some other things in there, but that was the point I was trying to get across. And I turned to him and said, ‘If you were the catcher on this team, I’d be be doing the same thing for you.'”

Lovullo said after the game he was prepared for a suspension to come down, but he felt Strahm threw in a “not-so-safe zone” to Carroll and wanted to protect his player.

Both Lovullo and Realmuto acknowledged that the exchange looked worse on camera than it felt in the moment.

“I’m Italian, I speak with my hands, I’m very intense,” Lovullo said after giving Realmuto his classic point.

Phillies manager Rob Thompson after the game said he had a problem with Lovullo speaking to Realmuto in the manner he did, saying he would not do that to another player.

Rob Thomson says he has a problem with Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo coming at J.T. Realmuto and other players: pic.twitter.com/Ah14lTaqKB

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) June 13, 2023

Lovullo said on Tuesday that it wasn’t a moment he was proud of, but he woke up the next morning feeling he made the right decision to stick up for his player.

“We walked through what happened, I was able to give him my side, he gave me his perspective,” Lovullo said of his conversation with Hill. “I certainly appreciated his willingness to listen to what I had to say, because in these situations, all you want to do is be heard. … There’s gonna be other repercussions, I know that and I respect it.”

Monday night marked his third ejection of 2023, after he led the NL in ejections last season with five, tied with the Chicago Cubs’ David Ross.

The D-backs are back in action Tuesday night against the Phillies. First pitch is slated for 6:40 p.m. Tune to Arizona Sports 98.7, the Arizona Sports app or ArizonaSports.com.

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