When your rotation's ERA balloons to double digits, it's time for a heart-to-heart. That's exactly what Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo did last weekend in Chicago, gathering his five starters for a frank meeting about their recent struggles.

"I let them know what was on my mind," Lovullo said, describing the conversation as largely one-sided. And the message was crystal clear: stop giving away free passes.

"Really the main theme was putting the ball on the plate," Lovullo explained. "Eliminate the walks. We talk about not compounding things by eliminating a free pass and making them hit their way on."

The numbers tell the story. Over the 12 games leading into Tuesday, May 5, Diamondbacks starters posted a staggering 10.10 ERA while averaging barely four innings per outing. Every member of the rotation has had at least one rough start during that stretch, with right-hander Merrill Kelly shouldering three of them.

For a team looking to stay competitive, control on the mound is everything. Lovullo's challenge is a reminder that in baseball, the best pitch is often the one that finds the strike zone. When your starters can't get ahead in counts, the defense never gets a chance to shine—and that's a problem no lineup can outslug.