Torey Lovullo Says D-backs Are 'Making It Way Harder Than We Should Be'

The Arizona Diamondbacks cannot seem to get out of their own way offensively, and it's evident to manager Torey Lovullo.

After what looked to be another off-balance approach against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Lovullo gave a blunt evaluation of what he's seeing from Arizona's offense. It's not pretty.

Here's what Lovullo had to say about Arizona's offensive woes:

Torey Lovullo breaks down Diamondbacks' poor offense

Apr 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo against the Chicago White Sox at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"This game is hard, for sure. It's hard to hit, it's hard to pitch, it's hard to catch, it's hard to do everything. But we're making it way harder than we should be," Lovullo said.

So, how exactly can Arizona get back on track? By "digging in," Lovullo said. "Especially with two strikes. Not giving in through the course of the at-bat. Handing it off.

"Swinging at strikes, first of all," the manager said, with a slight hint of frustration. "Once you do get to the two-strike situation, being able to get back in counts, create count leverage, and just being an S.O.B up there."

It's not that the D-backs lack sluggers, or that they lack players capable of capitalizing on scoring opportunities. In general, that track record has been quite strong. But that aspect of Arizona's approach has been mysteriously missing of late.

"Once you start to build innings, you want to find that guy that's going to come up and slug, and we've been missing that big piece of it," Lovullo said. "We have built some innings early on. ... I want to believe that it's going to take one quality at-bat, one quality moment, that's going to get this thing reversed and pushed in the right direction."

Arizona currently ranks 17th in baseball in team OPS (.704), 15th in RBI (155), and eighth in slugging percentage (.402).

But they're also not checking off pitches — as evidenced by their second-to-last 99 walks — and have hit only 35 homers, which ranks 22nd.

Not that being home run reliant is a quality way to make one's living, but Arizona ranked eighth in homers (219) in 2025, and took a similar eighth-most walks (545). The track record is there, with quite a few of the same players still on the roster. The results simply aren't.

What Arizona is doing more frequently this season, however, is chase pitches out of the zone.

"We've been talking about chase," Lovullo said. "You can't go up there and tell somebody, don't chase. Hitting is too hard for that."

May 6, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ketel Marte reacts after grounding out in the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Lovullo, in an intentionally-abridged half-sentence, said the Diamondbacks have to 'see the baseball' their way out of the slump. Only that — as difficult as it may be — can allow more positive swing decisions.

"There's ways to do it, and we just are trying to do too much," Lovullo said. "I think our guys are getting a little bit frustrated, and we've got to just play the game."

"Overall, I believe in this offense... and those results will come. But it doesn't happen just by going up there and believing it's going to happen. You've got to make it happen."

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