NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS DODGERS

October 10, 2023

Torey Lovullo

Chase Field

Arizona Diamondbacks

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. In what ways does Brandon look like a different pitcher over the last several months than he did when he first came up?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think he's been consistently getting information from his coaches, from his own sidelines, paying attention, writing things down and digesting that, and going out there in every next opportunity and utilizing what he can to improve.

Sometimes that requires a send-out. Sometimes it was a short outing, but he's always taken whatever has happened to him right in stride and he's gone out there and gotten better in each one of these cases.

Example, feeling for the zone, his first several starts through his first call-up. Came back the next time and was really aggressive with his fastball. Towards the end of that timing, he was a little loose with the secondary stuff. We encouraged him to go down there and have a better mixture of pitches.

The final time was to switch sides on the rubber. And each time he's gone down and gotten better, come back here. And with each outing he's continued to get better.

Overall there's a fearlessness to what he's receiving, and there's an overall execution every single time that I feel has been improving.

Q. Does he seem more confident or comfortable out there now than he did the first few...

TOREY LOVULLO: It's really hard to tell with him because he looks very comfortable and confident. The heartbeat looks like it's always the same. The demeanor, mound presence is the same.

When I go out for a mound visit, to take him out of the game or in between innings, it's the same look to me. So I think there's an inward confidence that he has that he was born with and, when he's a little insecure or unsure about something you don't know it.

We ask that a lot. We ask for that to be case with our pitcher because good hitters can smell blood, and they can sense wart's happening on the mound. I can't describe it. For those that played the game they know what I'm talking about.

But overall you can't tell when he's having a good or bad day and I think he was born with that.

Q. Obviously you've been part of different postseasons, either leading them or being part of the coaching staff. But in what ways do you look for guidance or advice for this particular postseason?

TOREY LOVULLO: Talking about my personal advice?

First of all, I have a close inner circle of staff members that I rely on, have conversations with. I haven't had them yet. I think we got in late last night. I was a little tired. I'll probably have them with that group.

Then mostly sit down with the front office and go over some of their 30,000-foot perspective.

And then I'll start reaching out to some coaches that have walked this walk and they're usually the same ones. I think I've shared with you several times who they are. People who have been in this situation before, whether it's good or bad it's the postseason. And you've got to be consistent with who you are, what you believe in and the tone that you're setting from my position.

And then watch the players. That's the best part of the day for me.

Q. What are you hoping that Brandon took away from that first experience against the Brewers in Game 1? And for tomorrow, is there any change in the way that you handle him and how you use the bullpen?

TOREY LOVULLO: Probably not. I'll read and react. I think I've been telling you guys that each time. And I've been fairly consistent with that statement.

I took Zac off the mound at 84 pitches yesterday. We've got to win baseball games and we've got to separate this time from middle of July.

I think what happened in Milwaukee was maybe some sequencing. There were several fastballs in a row. He didn't get into his mixture of pitches. That's what hurt him.

He ended up striking out the side the bottom of the first inning which was a huge win for us and kept the score where it was.

Overall, I think he's got to have a better mix of pitches. I'll read and react. If it's one time through, two times through, I don't know. I'm just going to try to make the best decision I can to help this team win a baseball game.

Q. I know Zac was saying last night afterwards that the job's not finished. How difficult is or isn't it to kind of maintain that mindset, maybe especially with this day off and probably hearing from a lot of people, like, oh, wow, you guys are up 2-0 on the Dodgers?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think what this team has done consistently in the postseason is maintain their competitive focus. To me that's been our separator. We have sat on the throttle pretty hard. We know when to pull back, such as this afternoon.

This morning when we got up, come to the ballpark, get into that mindset, get some work done. Turn it off, come back here tomorrow and play the best game we possibly can.

I think to specifically answer your question, I've asked these guys to have the same mindset today that they had yesterday and they'll have tomorrow. And that is how can I do my job to the best of my ability; how can I help my team win a baseball game? And nothing is more important than right now.

The Dodgers are coming. We are expecting their absolute best. And we're ready for that opportunity.

Q. This team has been through a lot this year. They started hot in July, and to come back and be in this moment it's kind of a Ted Lasso question: How did you get this team to believe?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think they started to believe sometime in early April, mid-April. There were certain moments and certain checkpoints through that month. It was a ton of games against the Dodgers, several against the Padres where we kind of held serve. We didn't excel but we didn't go totally backwards.

I think we did our job. And I think at that point in time our team started to have a certain belief that we were ready to compete. And if we stayed in that mindset that we can win baseball games as well.

And then through mid-June, towards the end of June, this group really felt like and believed every single day no matter what the circumstances were that we were going to win a baseball game.

To be honest with you, when we went through what we went through around the All-Star break and August, I wasn't surprised. It went longer than we expected. But I think that tested us. Because of that, we are battle tested and we are ready for crises of any sorts. And we're going to go out and execute no matter what the circumstances are.

Belief early. I think it was crystallized in mid-June. And we came out the other end probably mid-September. And these boys are ready to go.

Q. When someone brings up the Wild Card from six years ago, what are some of the first things that come to mind for you?

TOREY LOVULLO: A sold-out stadium. An energy that I don't necessarily feel here every single night. And I think we probably played one of our finest games that night. I think our guys were ready to go. I just remember a lot of extra base hits and a lot of excitement. And the crowd was backing us. And I'm really excited to see what type of crowd we have here tomorrow.

Q. Is it good for you to have that kind of reference point in front of you for the way the crowd could tomorrow night -- peak is a weird way to put it?

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah, I think so. This team, we just went into a very hostile territory and it was extremely loud against us, but it will be a little bit different. This crowd is going to be behind us, and we want to play our baseball for them. We want to impress them.

I think Paul Goldschmidt hit a home run in the bottom of the first inning, it might have been a two- or three-run home run; I don't remember what it was. That eruption was probably one of the loudest eruptions I felt on the stadium floor. Hopefully we can do it a few more times tomorrow.

Q. The moment may be a little big for some rookies, but doesn't seem to be for Corbin Carroll. What is it about him, why is he so comfortable playing with the stakes this high?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think he has an inward confidence that he was born with. I think he feel that his preparation and the intensity of his preparation has prepared him for this moment.

There's a certain degree of mental toughness that we all see from where I am every single day that maybe the common fan just assumes that he has. And then there's a focus that's fairly unmatched.

I think when he feels the doubt that everybody feels in anytime of your life or in any type of industry that you're in, I think he stands on what he knows he's good at. And he doesn't come off of it.

He does remind me a lot of some young players. One of which plays for the LA Dodgers, because they confronted their limitations head on so when they stepped into the most critical point in time of a game or the season, they knew that it was no longer a limitation.

Q. Asked Corbin this. Are the guys having fun? I know there's a mental toughness and focus but are they having fun in the process?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think so. I try to create a certain looseness. That's one of my core beliefs to just be ourselves, to have fun, talk about the things we want to talk about. Don't be a faker. And then it's 6:07 tomorrow put on your hard hat and go to work and unite as one. And they respond to that very, very well.

It's impossible to maintain that game face focus for 24 hours a day. You just can't do it. I asked them to go in and out of that. But when it's time to go in you go all in.

But they have a lot of fun. I have children as old as these players. And they do the same things that my children do. They listen to the same music. They play the same board games, the same card games and have the same conversations. And I eavesdrop and I find myself laughing and enjoying those conversations, as I do with my own children.

So they're in a good spot today, but they've been in a good spot all year long. It's been very consistent.

Q. Back to Corbin, with what he's been able to do, does it wow you, or are you just nothing he does anymore -- because being on base as much as he's been the first four games, he just doesn't seem unfazed at all.

TOREY LOVULLO: I know you guys want me to give you this unbelievable answer, but I probably could have answered it in June because my jaw was on the ground with what he was doing every single day.

The intensity and focus that he had, the amount of home runs that he was hitting, the bases he was stealing and the plays he was making, I just would shake my head in the dugout. And I'm, like, I don't know how he's doing it, but I've got a front row seat to it and I'm going to enjoy this ride. And it's been the same ever since.

Maybe he's spoiled me to the level where I come to expect it and it's more natural. But now that he's on a huge stage, right -- there's four teams remaining in the National League and we're one of them -- I think he goes back to all that preparation.

I think he's so mentally strong that he doesn't allow himself to get outside of what he wants to do. He was nicknamed The Machine by our farm director, Josh Barfield. I think that should tell you where his mindset is every single day. It is awesome to watch his process.

Q. How is Longoria doing?

TOREY LOVULLO: I haven't gotten any updates yet this morning. But I know the X-rays yesterday were negative. I said that postgame as I was walking out, I'm not sure you heard that.

But I'll get a report here. The players are just getting to the ballpark right now, but I'll get a report out as soon as I can.

Q. Back to Brandon, I'm wondering if you can put in perspective just how important he has been to what this club has accomplished and hopes to accomplish, because obviously the opening rotation had two veterans in it. They're no longer with the organization. He ends up pitching in Game 1. He's going to pitch a very important game tomorrow. If you guys move on, of course, you won't be able to lean on Merrill and Zac as much with the schedule of the CS. How important of a piece has Brandon been to get you guys to this point?

TOREY LOVULLO: To be able to slot him in the way we have to and just assume that he's going to go out there and execute has been a great luxury for us. So if we get through this series, we're going to probably have a plus-one into that group. It's just nice to know that Brandon can execute, follow game plan and make pitches.

I know it didn't go well in Milwaukee, but I think if he sequences better, the stuff is there, I think he should have a better result tomorrow.

How important has it been? It's been extremely important. I think you need more than two pitchers to get through the postseason. There are no throw-away games. You need every game to fall the way you hope that it does on your side. And Brandon Pfaadt has given us that opportunity, down the stretch run here, and we want his postseason game as well. He's been very important.