It's not quite time for Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers to bring up farm players and start thinking about next year, but at the same time Towers knows that if a run is going to be made it needs to start soon.

"Any way we can continue to improve, as long as we stay within that five to six game mark," Towers told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf Wednesday. "I think if we fall out of this thing, if we're eight or nine games back, the schedule is starting to run out now. Eventually you've got to kick it in gear because there's less than 50 games left in the season."

After their series with the Cardinals, which concludes Thursday night, the schedule starts to get a little bit better for the Diamondbacks.

"You never take anybody lightly but our schedule does soften up a little bit after St. Louis. We have a nice big home stand and then we have head-to-head meetings with the Dodgers and Giants at the beginning of September."

If the Diamondbacks have not picked up significant ground on the two teams ahead of them in the division, that puts them with just 20 games left and it may become time to make some changes and to start thinking about the future.

"Believe me, I've had the same conversation with Gibby, just saying 'You know, I believe in those guys, I believe we're one of the better clubs in the division. But maybe we're just a .500 club, the way we're playing,'" Towers said. "I've got a pretty good feel going forward where we're at, the changes that need to be made to kind of jump start this group again. Some of it could be in September and some of it could be in the offseason."

Whether it happens in two weeks, or during the next few seasons, it's not necessarily a bad thing to start seeing guys like Adam Eaton, A.J. Pollock, Tyler Skaggs or even Trevor Bauer get more playing time in the big leagues.

"The beauty of it is we have a good farm system. We've got people that are pushing other people from down below which is good," Towers said. "We've got some good young core players that I think are really guys we can build around. We've got some good young pitching and when you've got good young pitching good things will happen."

With the ensuing trade talk that will inevitably surround Justin Upton this offseason, Towers and Gibson could benefit from the chance to see more playing time for outfielders like Pollock who is hitting .340 with 45 RBI for Triple-A Reno, or Eaton (.380, 41 RBI and 35 stolen bases).

Whether it comes in the form of making a legitimate push towards the postseason or getting guys ready to play every day in the big leagues the future for the Diamondbacks is looking up.

Just how quickly Towers chooses to bring up more of the players knocking on the door from Reno depends on how these next few series go and whether or not the Diamondbacks can make one last run to capture back-to-back NL West division titles. A feat that is looking less and less likely as the days go by.