Arizona hires Lovullo as manager

Boston Red Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo was hired Friday as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“I appreciate the opportunity to join the D-backs family,” Lovullo said in a statement. “I’m excited to get to work with the staff and players to help lead this organization back to title contention.”

Lovullo will be introduced at a news conference Monday. He had been considered a leading candidate for the job after Red Sox assistant general manager Mike Hazen was hired as Arizona’s GM.

Lovullo replaces Chip Hale, who was fired after two seasons. Hazen took over from Dave Stewart, who was also dismissed after two years.

The 51-year-old Lovullo has been manager John Farrell’s bench coach in Boston since 2012. He was interim manager for the final 48 games of the 2015 season after Farrell went on medical leave. The Red Sox were 28-20 with Lovullo at the helm. He was first base coach on Farrell’s staff in Toronto in 2011-12.

INDIANS PICK UP OPTIONS ON FRANCONA, SANTANA

The cruel sting of losing Game 7 hasn’t completely left the Cleveland Indians. “We all want to hoist that World Series trophy,” president Chris Antonetti said Friday, “so it hurt when we lost.”

With no time for pity, the Indians jumped right into the off-season by locking up manager Terry Francona. The club exercised its contract options for 2019 and 2020 on the 57-year-old manager, who did a remarkable job in steering the Indians to their first Series since 1997.

The Indians also exercised a $12-million option on slugger Carlos Santana for next season. The move was expected after Santana belted 34 homers, while splitting time at first and designated hitter.

Antonetti said the club has expressed to first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Rajai Davis they would like to re-sign the potential free agents.