• Diamondbacks fall 2-1 to Reds

    Diamondbacks fall 2-1 to Reds

  • Lovullo on the Diamondbacks' loss to the Reds

    Lovullo on the Diamondbacks’ loss to the Reds

  • Diamondbacks hold off Reds for 6-3 win

    Diamondbacks hold off Reds for 6-3 win

  • Shot Clock: 1 more chance for D-Backs' Rodney?

    Shot Clock: 1 more chance for D-Backs’ Rodney?

  • Fernando Rodney after blown save vs. Dodgers

    Fernando Rodney after blown save vs. Dodgers

  • Torey Lovullo after Dodgers sweep D-Backs in LA

    Torey Lovullo after Dodgers sweep D-Backs in LA

  • Robbie Ray on his outing, tough loss vs. Dodgers

    Robbie Ray on his outing, tough loss vs. Dodgers

  • Torey Lovullo on D-Backs' second consecutive loss in LA

    Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ second consecutive loss in LA

  • Zack Godley talks about his outing vs. Dodgers.

    Zack Godley talks about his outing vs. Dodgers.

  • Gregor Blanco after D-Backs' loss to Dodgers

    Gregor Blanco after D-Backs’ loss to Dodgers

  • Shot Clock: How should Suns, D-Backs prioritize improvement?

    Shot Clock: How should Suns, D-Backs prioritize improvement?

  • Chris Owings on Kershaw's night, D-Backs' late push

    Chris Owings on Kershaw’s night, D-Backs’ late push

  • Torey Lovullo on D-Backs' late push in loss vs. Dodgers

    Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ late push in loss vs. Dodgers

  • Dodgers vs D-Backs preview

    Dodgers vs D-Backs preview

  • Lovullo, Marte, Walker discuss D-Backs' walk-off win

    Lovullo, Marte, Walker discuss D-Backs’ walk-off win

  • Four Diamondbacks react to making NL All-Star team

    Four Diamondbacks react to making NL All-Star team

  • Archie Bradley on D-Backs' win over Rockies

    Archie Bradley on D-Backs’ win over Rockies

  • Zack Greinke on his effective outing vs. Rockies

    Zack Greinke on his effective outing vs. Rockies

  • Robbie Ray on his outing in loss vs. Rockies

    Robbie Ray on his outing in loss vs. Rockies

  • Chris Owings homers twice in loss to Rockies

    Chris Owings homers twice in loss to Rockies

  • Torey Lovullo talks loss to Cardinals

    Torey Lovullo talks loss to Cardinals

  • D-Backs GM on Chase Field humidor being pushed back

    D-Backs GM on Chase Field humidor being pushed back

  • Lovullo, Godley reflect on D-Backs' close loss

    Lovullo, Godley reflect on D-Backs’ close loss

  • Tony La Russa reflects on his baseball life

    Tony La Russa reflects on his baseball life

  • Torey Lovullo shares Tomas, Pollock, Ahmed injury updates

    Torey Lovullo shares Tomas, Pollock, Ahmed injury updates

  • Chris Herrmann walks it off for D-Backs

    Chris Herrmann walks it off for D-Backs

  • D-Backs' Torey Lovullo: "They fight until the final out"

    D-Backs’ Torey Lovullo: “They fight until the final out”

  • Chris Herrmann on first career leadoff home run

    Chris Herrmann on first career leadoff home run

  • Zack Greinke on outing vs. Phillies

    Zack Greinke on outing vs. Phillies

  • Torey Lovullo on D-Backs' offensive execution in win

    Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ offensive execution in win

  • Diamondbacks-Phillies recap - June 26

    Diamondbacks-Phillies recap – June 26

  • Diamondbacks walk off Philies in extra innings

    Diamondbacks walk off Philies in extra innings

  • Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies | June 25, 2017

    Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies | June 25, 2017

  • Ray on his outing against the Phillies

    Ray on his outing against the Phillies

  • Torey Lovullo on Diamondbacks' loss to Phillies

    Torey Lovullo on Diamondbacks’ loss to Phillies

  • Lovullo discusses the Diamondbacks' win over the Phillies

    Lovullo discusses the Diamondbacks’ win over the Phillies

  • Torey Lovullo after D-Backs win series vs. Rockies

    Torey Lovullo after D-Backs win series vs. Rockies

  • Paul Goldschmidt on D-Backs' offensive outburst

    Paul Goldschmidt on D-Backs’ offensive outburst

  • Zack Godley on strong outing at Coors Field

    Zack Godley on strong outing at Coors Field

  • D-Backs' Taijuan Walker on win over Rockies

    D-Backs’ Taijuan Walker on win over Rockies

  • Torey Lovullo after blowout win vs. Rockies

    Torey Lovullo after blowout win vs. Rockies

  • Torey Lovullo on decision to stick with Zack Greinke

    Torey Lovullo on decision to stick with Zack Greinke

  • Zack Greinke after loss vs. Rockies

    Zack Greinke after loss vs. Rockies

  • D-Backs suffer tough loss in Denver

    D-Backs suffer tough loss in Denver

  • Shot Clock: D-Backs, Rockies set for showdown

    Shot Clock: D-Backs, Rockies set for showdown

  • Torey Lovullo on Rey Fuentes' go-ahead homer

    Torey Lovullo on Rey Fuentes’ go-ahead homer

  • Rey Fuentes on hitting his first career home run

    Rey Fuentes on hitting his first career home run

  • Robbie Ray on his outing vs. Phillies

    Robbie Ray on his outing vs. Phillies

  • Manager Torey Lovullo after D-Backs' sixth consecutive win

    Manager Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ sixth consecutive win

  • Jake Lamb on D-Backs' latest win over Phillies

    Jake Lamb on D-Backs’ latest win over Phillies

  • Torey Lovullo talks about his late father's support, guidance

    Torey Lovullo talks about his late father’s support, guidance

  • Torey Lovullo on his father's job in television

    Torey Lovullo on his father’s job in television

  • Torey Lovullo on D-Backs' come-from-behind win over Phillies

    Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ come-from-behind win over Phillies

  • Gregor Blanco discusses his game-tying homer vs. Phillies

    Gregor Blanco discusses his game-tying homer vs. Phillies

  • Patrick Corbin on his performance vs. Phillies

    Patrick Corbin on his performance vs. Phillies

  • Torey Lovullo on D-Backs' latest one-run win

    Torey Lovullo on D-Backs’ latest one-run win

  • Taijuan Walker on his first outing back from the disabled list

    Taijuan Walker on his first outing back from the disabled list

  • David Peralta on his go-ahead homer in win over Tigers

    David Peralta on his go-ahead homer in win over Tigers

  • Torey Lovullo after D-Backs' win over Tigers

    Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ win over Tigers

  • Robbie Ray on D-Backs' win over Brewers

    Robbie Ray on D-Backs’ win over Brewers

  • Paul Goldschmidt on grand slam, offensive outburst

    Paul Goldschmidt on grand slam, offensive outburst

  • Godley on taking advantage of opportunity after D-Backs win

    Godley on taking advantage of opportunity after D-Backs win

  • Torey Lovullo after D-Backs' win over Brewers

    Torey Lovullo after D-Backs’ win over Brewers

  • Randall Delgado on his rough outing against Brewers

    Randall Delgado on his rough outing against Brewers

  • Lovullo on Diamondbacks' loss to Brewers

    Lovullo on Diamondbacks’ loss to Brewers

  • Chris Iannetta on his career-high 7 RBIs vs. Padres

    Chris Iannetta on his career-high 7 RBIs vs. Padres

 

Initially, Torey Lovullo couldn’t say if the Diamondbacks were hitting the All-Star break at the perfect time or not.

Hours later on Sunday, however, moments after his club lost for the eighth time in its past 11 games following a 2-1 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds, Lovullo had enough time to change his mind when asked if the Diamondbacks could now really use a little R&R.

“Well, it certainly looks like it,” Lovullo said. “I can’t not help but think that it might after a couple tough situations that we’ve been walking though over the last couple series.

“But sometimes you want to get out and play and get the worm to turn right away. I just think these guys will refresh their minds and be ready for Atlanta on Friday.”

Though Arizona has lost five of its past six and the offense seems to have suddenly disappeared, there’s no reason to panic or break a leg by jumping off the bandwagon. The Diamondbacks still have a healthy lead when it comes to a National League wild-card spot. The odds are better than 90 percent that they’ll make the playoffs.

And don’t forget, they’ve already set a franchise record with 53 victories before the break.

But everyone might be well served by taking the next four days to ponder what’s been happening to this baseball team as of late and where things may be headed coming out of the break. This is the toughest stretch the club has gone through so far this season and the question is whether it’s a mini slump or a sign of deeper trouble possibly lurking ahead.

“I think it comes at a good time, as far as the break is concerned,” All-Star third baseman Jake Lamb said. “Yeah, we haven’t played our best baseball the past week, two weeks. But we have a few days off, we get to regroup, everyone can go see their family, relax, and then start back up in Atlanta.”

The past few days at Chase Field, however, have felt a little flat. A day after getting blanked by the Reds 7-0, the Diamondbacks on Sunday didn’t play with the resiliency they’ve shown for the better portion of this year. And once again, like their recent three-game sweep in Los Angeles at the hands of the Dodgers, they couldn’t finish.

Patrick Corbin pitched six strong innings. Chris Owings went 3 for 4. A.J. Pollock drilled his first home run and swiped his first bag since coming back from the disabled list. But still, it wasn’t enough and it never nearly felt like it would.

“A tough game to lose,” Lovullo said. “When you lose a 2-1 game, you have a couple opportunities offensively and you get a well-pitched game by Patrick, those are tough moments. You lose a 2-1 game after being shut out the night before, it’s something that we’re not very used to – one run over 18 innings.

“But this is a very offensive team, we will continue to be an offensive team and I believe in us as an offensive team.”

It’s no wonder Lovullo’s private postgame message to his ballplayers was of a positive nature. Instead of having them dwell on what hasn’t gone right the past several days, his directive was for them to reflect on all the good they did to get where they are.

“It was a little message about the productive first half and that we’re halfway through this marathon and we’ve got a long way to go but that we’re on the right path,” Lovullo said. “We’ve earned things. I asked us to go out and play hard to earn things and to enjoy the break, recharge the batteries and come out swinging in the second half.”

That was going to be Owings’ mantra no matter what.

“Yeah, just looking back at the big picture,” he said. “It’s probably the best first half we’ve played ever since I’ve been with the Diamondbacks, I know that. So I’m going to look at it as a positive and take a mental break for two days. Then I’m going to fly to Atlanta early on Wednesday and start getting prepared for the second half of the season.”

There’s no bad trend Lovullo wants to see end. He said the Diamondbacks simply have hit a dip in the road, and he believes they will recover from it. In fact, he doesn’t want his players to do anything different at all.

“We’ve lost a number of games over the past couple of series, but would we do anything differently? I wouldn’t want these guys to change one thing,” he said. “I know it’s been very successful, the recipe has been pretty good for us all season. I think these players spoil us because they make the game look easy and they go out and execute and when they don’t, sometimes it’s alarming.

“So I would say to them, just keep doing what you’re doing, build innings and know that things are going to fall into place very soon.”

Reach McManaman at [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Wednesday night between 7-9 on Fox Sports 910-AM on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.