NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS PHILLIES

October 16, 2023

Torey Lovullo

Citizens Bank Park

Arizona Diamondbacks

Pregame 1 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Torey Lovullo.

Q. Just kind of going over the roster moves you make, what did you like about having Slade on this team?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think this series is a little bit different. We're going to play potentially seven games in nine days. We need a little bit more coverage coming out of the bull pen. We haven't talked about a starter for Game 4. I haven't even given you Game 3 yet.

We just felt like to give us a little bit of coverage in any type of situation, we need a little bit of length coming out of the bull pen.

You know, taking Jace Peterson off the roster was a difficult decision, but we feel like as we've been maneuvering through our lineup, we haven't had the need to really dig in and use our bench very often. I will, but we felt like there were some repetitive pieces. But it's a hard decision to take Jace off of it, but the need was mostly for pitching.

Q. You guys had Jarvis on earlier in the postseason. Why Slade at this point over him? Is there something about their stuff that seems to fit better against this lineup?

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah. We paid a lot of attention to that. To be honest with you, had Slade been eligible -- he was still in the middle of his 15 days after the late call-up and send-down, so that was a very strong reason as to why he wasn't considered earlier.

Look, Bryce and Slade are very similar types of guys. They pound the zone. They've got great shape to their pitches. We just felt like Slade was going to give us the best opportunity to win some innings.

Q. With the decision to leave Jace off the roster, do you feel like Longoria can play seven games in nine days potentially and -- start seven games in nine days, I should say?

TOREY LOVULLO: I don't know that answer. I'm just going to take it day by day. For the same reasons that I started him day one in Milwaukee and throughout the Dodger series all the way to the end of the Dodger series, that's why he is going to be playing.

I just like the presence. I like the heartbeat. I like the calmness. Especially in an environment like we're expecting today, I know he is going to be able to slow things down, and everybody is going to be looking at him for that.

What does it mean going forward as far as games played, total games played, I don't have that number. It's going to probably be determined on how he feels and what he is giving me.

Q. And you preferred Rivera to Peterson if Longoria does need a day?

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah, I think that ultimately was one of the conversations we had. They're both -- Peterson and Rivera are both very good players, but I just felt like having the defensive presence with Rivera was also a consideration.

Q. Torey, you talked yesterday about camaraderie, chemistry. Evan was very clear just a few minutes ago about the camaraderie in the clubhouse, and you guys wouldn't be here without that. Can you just comment further on that and what that means? He talked about it's hard to put your finger on it. You mentioned that yesterday, but it's there.

TOREY LOVULLO: Yeah, it's a real thing for sure. We believe in synergy. I gave you my definition of synergy at different times during the year, but the love and the connection in that clubhouse is real. You feel it every single day.

The players genuinely care about one another. The players genuinely care about the coaches and vice versa. It is a real thing. It's one of our core values, because without that care and commitment, you just don't have trust. I think there's -- it leads to trust.

But it is a very strong bond. I think every team right now if you look at the four teams, they've been talking about the same things. I know the Phillies have been talking about it. It's an important feature, an important characteristic of teams that have success, and we firmly believe in that.

Q. Do you say anything to your team before a game like this, a moment like this, or does it kind of explain itself in a way?

TOREY LOVULLO: I think 95% of that is covered internally. They're motivated on their own. They should be. They don't need any extra rah-rah stuff from me. I've done that enough, and I think they're tired of hearing from me.

We had some really good morning meetings today, and I think there were a couple of topics that were covered by a lot of different people. The things that were said were very powerful and very real.

Coming on the heels of the question that Craig asked, I could feel a bond then, and these guys are ready to go.