The Arizona Diamondbacks' 13-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Chase is a secondary story of the game following the plunkings delivered by D-Backs reliever Bryce Jarvis. His off-target pitches now leave the Twins with injury concerns for two of their most important players.

In the top of the sixth inning, Byron Buxton got hit by the first pitch of his plate appearance but remained in the game. Then, in the seventh inning, Jarvis nailed Carlos Correa with another first offering, forcing the shortstop to immediately head for the dugout as he held his arm in pain. Jarvis finished the inning before Justin Martinez and Joe Mantiply finished the game out.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo came to Jarvis' defense after the loss, saying that they are not a team that retaliates by hitting batters intentionally.

“I want to make a comment about that. I do not believe in taking a baseball and intentionally throwing it at any hitter at any time,” Lovullo said. “If we're getting beat around and hit around by a team that is doing what they're supposed to do and we're hitting batters, I feel like that's one of the more cowardly acts that can take place. I can assure you that Bryce Jarvis was not trying to throw at anybody. We do not have that reputation.”

Since Lovullo's first season as the Diamondbacks manager in 2017, they are one of just two MLB teams (and the only one in the National League) to hit fewer than 400 batters with pitches. Indeed, Arizona doesn’t hit batters nearly as often as other teams. Jarvis had already hit three batters previously this season. But what Arizona is right now is a team with some brutal pitching that is in danger of missing the postseason because of it.

Diamondbacks' pitching woes continue in loss to Twins

The Diamondbacks fell down early after Jordan Montgomery surrendered eight runs (though only half of them were earned runs) in just 2.2 innings. Their offense put up an okay fight but with Minnesota crushing them at the plate, an effort highlighted by a monster, 456-foot home run from Buxton, making the comeback would have taken a Herculean effort.

With a record of 39-42, the Diamondbacks are still within striking distance of a postseason appearance but very badly need their top-end pitching to heal from injuries. Without Zac Gallen (hamstring), Merrill Kelly (right shoulder) or newcomer Eduardo Rodriguez (left shoulder), the Snakes have had to make do with a starting pitching staff that has been among the very worst in all of MLB.

Gallen's return is imminent but Kelly and Rodriguez, who has yet to make his season debut after signing a big contract with the Diamondbacks this offseason, still have a lot more progress to make. Exacerbating those issues is Corbin Carroll and Eugenio Suarez having bad seasons at the plate, posting respective OPS numbers of .612 and .586. The offense around them has been fine thanks to spectacular campaigns from Ketel Marte and Joc Pederson and decent seasons from other guys. Pitching, though, has left them snakebitten.

The Diamondbacks can become a dangerous team again if they can get healthy but they should also be making lots of calls ahead of the July 30 trade deadline.