NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS DODGERS

October 9, 2023

Torey Lovullo

Dodger Stadium

Arizona Diamondbacks

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Gabby was just in here. He was asked about his relationship with Lourdes and the trade. I asked you about that a couple months ago, maybe, but I'd like to revisit it now -- what those two guys have meant to the team, what they've brought to this 2023 season.

TOREY LOVULLO: First of all, I think they were just a natural comfort with them coming together. They relied on one another early in Spring Training. I could see that they had a very strong bond. They used to talk about hitting all the time.

That was -- it's like going to college and you've got your roommate set up already. You're stepping in a whole new arena.

But at the end of the day, Gabby just solidified us from behind the plate. The receiving continues to improve. He's a lock-down catch-and-throw guy. You can't really run on him. We've seen him improve offensively not only with some of the power he's shown recently but the approach, the ability to hit with a strike or two on him. Nothing changes.

He's got a great heartbeat. Stands up there ready to do damage in any count against any pitch and against any pitcher.

Q. It seemed like late in the year a save situation for you was maybe four runs, sometimes five. What is it for you in the postseason?

TOREY LOVULLO: Well, the four-run thing is very tricky because if you don't bring in your closer and you've got the first two runners on, you can't bring them in until that third batter is faced. Potentially you can come in with the bases loaded and a four-run lead. And that's definitely not what you want your closer to walk into.

That's where I like to start Paul or any of the closers we've had this year with their own clean inning and a four-run lead.

The postseason might be a little different. You might see us go full throttle with the days off and five-run lead, maybe go with our tier-one relievers. And that's -- a couple of reasons for that.

One, you've got to lock down, secure the wins that you're supposed to win. And then the LA Dodgers are a very potent team. They can walk and slug, and out of nowhere a five-run lead becomes a two-run lead. I want to avoid that at all costs.

Q. Obviously you guys are up 1-0 but are you mentally preparing as if it's a must-win game for you guys today?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think so. I think we're maintaining that competitive spirit. I talked about staying humble, being proud of what we've done. But we're right in the middle of a journey that we don't really see a goal line or where we don't see a goal line.

We're going to fight. We're going to play our game and do it to the best of our ability without taking anything for granted.

Q. I just wanted to know what you got to do with your family. And just what has their reaction been after what you did here on Saturday?

TOREY LOVULLO: First of all, my family is very proud of our accomplishments, the accomplishments of this organization. And then specifically me. Like there's nothing better walking into my mom's home and saying, I love you and I'm proud of you. Every child wants that. She's 92. I'm 58 and it never gets old.

So, look, I was born and raised in the valley. I got a chance to see all my family yesterday. My friends are coming to the game tonight.

Win or lose, they've been behind me and supported me and that means more to me than anything. Yesterday I went up to my mom's home In Westlake Village and got away from everything that was happening here the past four days. And I felt I was in outer space. It was a totally relaxing moment where I got to spend time with my mom and my sister and the rest of my family. It was great.

Q. Curious what the response has been from previous players in this organization or just the fan base, the talk about being this underdog team and you guys coming in and maybe being the shock of the season. What do you hear from people who have been with this organization who have seen what you've done in spite of what the chatter is?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think we are so proud of what we do every single day and we fight the same fight every single day. It's to go 1-0 today and not take anything for granted.

We hear the talk. We hear that we're maybe like the little brother that everybody can beat up on. We take that personally. We embrace it.

We understand that we haven't done a lot compared to the Dodgers or the Astros or some of the teams that are getting some of the notoriety. But we're here and we're ready to compete and we like it that way.

Q. Mike was re-upped. You had your one-year, basically, contract re-upped too. Has there been any discussion within the organization of extending your contract at this point?

TOREY LOVULLO: There has not. And I'm going to answer it the same way; it's boring, I know. But for me, I don't feel like I deserve anything more than a one-year contract. I had to prove myself every single year because of what we've been going through.

So I am perfectly fine with the series of one-year contracts, and now there's an extension through '24, which I'm grateful for.

But as I always say, my parents taught me to honor the things that people are giving to you and especially a contract. And so I'm here to honor that. I love Arizona. I'd love to stay there for the rest of my career, the rest of my life.

And if it happens that the Diamondbacks want to extend me, of course, I would be thrilled. But I have not heard anything.

Q. Do you expect any discussion on this after the season is over?

TOREY LOVULLO: To be totally transparent, Mike and I had a conversation when we were talking about the extension through '24, and I was grateful for that. And I just said, look, is there a chance that at some point we can revisit this if things change?

I told him I would leave it up to him because I'm not good at promoting myself or jumping into that arena and saying, hey, let's talk about me. But I left it up to him and we'll see what happens at the end of the year.

Q. Torey, do you have a starter for Game 3?

TOREY LOVULLO: I do not. We'll get that to you as soon as possible. There's a very obvious candidate. That's probably the target. That's where we're going to be leaning. But let's get through today and I'll give you guys that. I know it's TBA right now.

Q. Back to Sewald's role for a second, is there a scenario where would you ask him to get more than three outs for you?

TOREY LOVULLO: For sure. That was going to be the case in Milwaukee. We got through Ginkel and it was getting through Saalfrank. He was going to potentially give us a one-plus. Yes, 100 percent. I'm on board with that. He's on board with that.

And we're all in. You ask yourself, in your mind, your body, your spirit, do something that it hasn't ever done before because there's no tomorrow. It's a one-game, thrill-seeking adventure every single day.

We've got to win baseball games, and I think these guys have really stepped up.

Ginkel, case in point, he went out and executed for two innings for us, and tried to get back on the bump the next day. He didn't tell me he was a little fatigued, but it looked like he was a little bit fatigued. That's why I went to Saalfrank. He'll give us more than one if we need it.

Q. I know you talked about earlier about Moreno and Gurriel's relationship, but more generally on a team with so many young guys, in these situations where those guys haven't been, what's the impact of having guys who have been here -- Longoria, Ketel, Gurriel -- those types of guys when they're in games like this?

TOREY LOVULLO: I don't think you can put a value on it. Postseason experience in any way is extremely valuable for the obvious reasons. It's just a different animal. And I even explained to you guys, when I looked out in Milwaukee and saw Evan Longoria standing at third base, I took a deep sigh and thought, that looks comfortable; I like having him out there.

That's me there with some managerial postseason experience and coaching experience. But I just think when a player looks around and they see somebody that's done it and how they're reacting, it helps them relax.

But we've got a bunch of 23-, 24-year-olds that play well beyond their years. I'm amazed by that. I don't think they care where they are, what the stage is. They just love playing baseball, they love playing baseball together and getting very connected.

Q. What's stood out about Bobby Miller, facing him couple times during the regular season?

TOREY LOVULLO: Extremely aggressive fastball in the zone. It's a four-up baseball. We have to be ready to hit the velocity today. He's a young, upstart, starting pitcher that the entire National League knew was coming and he's been very effective. And we'll have our work cut out for us today. We know that.

Q. Back to Longoria, the combination of the playoff format, the days off and maybe some of the time that he was off earlier in the year, kind of has almost giving you the luxury of having him to turn back the clock for long ago in the playoffs. Is that how you're looking at it a little bit?

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah, I have to be mindful of the workload and what I'm asking him to do. He's always receptive to playing. He wants to play every inning of every game, but at 37, 38 years old, I think we have to be mindful of getting him off his feet. That's why I'm getting him out of there last inning.

Also, I want to sharpen the skills of some of the understudies, with Rivera and Peterson, who played the ninth inning in the last two games. Longoria, when rested, is still very, very effective. He's barrelling up the baseball. Swing feels good. He's going to impact this game for us.

Q. I love the humbleness you guys play with, but the reality, as you mentioned, there's a very potent team on the other end and they're going to come out firing in Game 2. How do you keep your team humble yet fire them up for Game 2?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think our team is just internally motivated, and I don't have to say anything to motivate them. I think they know what the task is every single day. We talk about being great today.

And you're right, the Dodgers are coming full force today. We know that. I don't see any less than their best effort stepping on the field as the home team in this stadium, knowing it's a big game.

We're ready for that. We've accepted that challenge, and we've got a very strong starting pitcher going for us today. And I know that when we walk onto the field at 6:20, 6:25, they'll be ready to go.

Q. I noticed in the clubhouse yesterday looked like Ketel had his shoulder or upper body wrapped up a little bit. Is that just a normal maintenance thing for him or is something going on there?

TOREY LOVULLO: No Ketel is fine. It's the time of year where everybody is sore, banged up. Feet hurt, hands hurt, shoulders, elbows, necks -- everybody is grinding and that's what makes this time of the year so special.

These guys come to the ballpark, get their work done, take care of their business. And then when you walk onto the field at 6:20, the common fan or somebody watching the game through a little bit of a different lens has no idea what's happening because they're playing at a very high level. That's what makes it so worthwhile for me.

These guys get after it and everybody's banged up. It's not just our team. I guarantee the other seven teams are having the same issues with some of their key players.

Q. Can you give us some insight as to what role familiarity plays? The Dodgers and the Diamondbacks have played so frequently over the years. The Dodgers noticed that there was a complete different approach to the lineup the other night. Tell us a little bit about that cat and mouse game.

TOREY LOVULLO: That's the game within a game. It's a chess match. I think our guys are extremely familiar with the LA Dodgers, coming into this town. We know the route the bus takes. We know the walk into the clubhouse. We know exactly where the locker is going to be.

There's certain comfort with that familiarity. But once we get on the field we know who their main players are. We know who is really going to carry the load for them. But it's the understudies that you have to watch out for as well.

So from a controlling-the-lineup state of mind your pitchers have to be effective 1 through 9. Yes, we've faced Clayton Kershaw a number of times. I don't even know how many times, but we had a really good game plan against him. And we were stubborn to it.

But I will say this, we are a different team today than we have been at any other point in time in the season, whether we're playing the Dodgers or not. This team has been ready for this opportunity. Been waiting for this opportunity and they're very hungry.