PHOENIX -- Not only did the D-backs lose, 12-6, to the Marlins on Tuesday night at Chase Field, but they had to watch their best player leave the game with an injury.

Outfielder Ketel Marte, who has been the D-backs' most productive player this season, doubled in the first and singled to left in the third, coming around to score on a double by Christian Walker.

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Marte slid into home plate, even though there was not a throw home, and when he headed back to the dugout he appeared to be limping slightly.

Marte remained in the game in the fourth inning before being removed to start the fifth. Tim Locastro moved from left field to center field and Josh Rojas came in to play left field.

The initial diagnosis on Marte was tightness in his lower back.

“I just elected to remove him from the game,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “He’s been grinding and playing just about every inning of every game, and it made sense to get him off of the field. We’re going to have a precautionary MRI [Wednesday] just to make sure, structurally, everything is OK. We think it is, but we’re just going to make double sure.”

Marte will definitely not be in the starting lineup Wednesday, but it will be a gametime decision, Lovullo said, as to whether he will be available off the bench.

Marte, who started the All-Star Game at second base for the National League, has been leaned on heavily by the D-backs this year. He has been asked to play center field, a position at which he did not have much experience, as well as second base and, occasionally, shortstop.

The last time Marte did not start a game was Aug. 31, though he did pinch-hit in that contest.

“Today he just talked about feeling fatigue and tightness in his low back,” Lovullo said. “There’s been a lot of innings, a lot of moving parts between positions so I think it’s just a build-up of innings on him.”

The D-backs scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 4-2, but things quickly spiraled away from them after that, as the Marlins scored three runs in the sixth, five in the seventh and two in the eighth.

“They put really good swings on it and hitting is contagious and one guy gets that knock and then you can just see the momentum build up and build up,” D-backs catcher Carson Kelly said. “They took advantage of our mistakes.”

The D-backs remain 5 1/2 games in back of the Cubs and Brewers, who are tied for the NL’s second Wild Card spot.

With just 10 games remaining on the schedule, time is running out.

“Where does this push us to tomorrow?” Lovullo said. “My mindset hasn’t changed. I don’t think the players' mindset has changed. We’ve just got roll it out and give it everything we’ve got tomorrow and try to win a baseball game.”