D-backs pitching coach Matt Herges has shared a common message with just about every one of the pitchers who saw action for the club during its opening four-game set against the Padres.

“If I had a dime for every time I’ve said, ‘Listen, your stuff plays in the strike zone,’” Herges said.

D-backs pitchers allowed 28 hits over the four games at Petco Park, not an unreasonable number by any measure. During that same period, though, they issued 27 walks.

“The 27 walks definitely has been the problem,” Herges said. “The three-ball counts have been way high. Just overall, pitching away from the bat. that’s been the issue. Our message as an organization is, bottom line, the best pitchers in the game throw more strikes than anybody else. It makes life a lot easier when you’re getting ahead, attacking, winning the first three pitches. That’s everyone’s motto in the game of pitching. We just haven’t done that.”

As a result, with the exception of Madison Bumgarner on Opening Day, the D-backs' starters have been forced to leave games early due to high pitch counts.

It’s a trend that needs to reverse itself so that the team doesn’t wind up overextending its bullpen.

“They’re pros and they can reel it in,” Herges said. “But why are we missing just off the plate? Is it a mindset thing? Is it a mechanical thing? So far, I don’t think any of them have been mechanical. It’s been more of a mindset thing. They’re going to right this, no doubt in my mind.”

Bumgarner finds a way
Bumgarner, who will make his second start of the year in Wednesday’s series finale with the Rangers, did not have his best stuff on Opening Day, Herges said, but the veteran knows how to get by without it.

A three-run double by Eric Hosmer with two outs in the sixth gave the Padres their first runs of the game and chased Bumgarner from the game.

“I’ll say this, I don’t think he was great,” Herges said. “He just makes pitches when he needs to. He got through it. Shoot, he was one pitch away from giving us six scoreless. That one 0-2 pitch to Hosmer hurt. It hurt. But he finds a way. His command is better than what he showed, without question. And again, I see it getting better and better and better. The fight in this dude, even if he doesn’t have his best command, he’s going to will his way to get outs.”

Added urgency
In his three seasons with the D-backs, manager Torey Lovullo has tended to stick with struggling players or allow starters to work themselves out of jams.

That worked well over a 162-game season, but he acknowledged earlier this month that he might have to show less patience in a 60-game season, with each game taking on added importance.

That showed up a couple of times during the series with the Padres as Lovullo pinch-hit for catcher Carson Kelly, who was hitless in the set, during the eighth inning Monday.

“Maybe I’m a little quick to the draw right now,” Lovullo said. “I hit for Carson Kelly [Monday]. That’s something that, ordinarily, I wouldn’t do. I was looking for a consistent at-bat and Carson obviously has been grinding away. What I explained to Carson is, this is how I feel today; doesn’t mean tomorrow I’ll be doing the same thing. It’s how I feel right now. I’m looking for something good to happen and this is what it added up to.”