Edwin Díaz’s third blown save in a week soured a night on which Max Muncy became Dodger Stadium’s all-time home run leader. The three-time All-Star closer, who established himself with the Seattle Mariners before standing out with the New York Mets, has floundered in his first season in Los Angeles with the Dodgers.
Following four consecutive seasons with 20-plus saves — not counting the 2023 campaign he missed with a knee injury he suffered while celebrating at that year’s World Baseball Classic — the 32-year-old Díaz missed three-plus months with a right elbow issue that required surgery early in the 2026 season and has registered only six saves.
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Meanwhile, the righty’s blown four, including three in his past four appearances: one during an Aug. 7 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, another in an Aug. 8 win over the D-backs and the latest in a 5-4 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night.
Even so, L.A., which signed him to a record-setting three-year, $69 million deal this offseason, isn’t moving off Díaz as its closer, manager Dave Roberts said postgame.
Roberts was asked if he’d consider temporarily pulling Díaz from the Puerto Rico native’s signature role, perhaps allowing him a chance to reset, but the three-time World Series-winning manager offered a rhetorical response.
“Give me another option,” Roberts said, per MLB.com.
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He continued: “I can’t just say, ‘Change to lower leverage.’ I have to have other options, and to be quite honest, none of those guys really are throwing the baseball great.”
Had Díaz sealed the deal on Thursday night, the Dodgers (73-49) would have tied the Brewers (75-47) for the National League’s best record. Instead, the three-time Reliever of the Year coughed up a two-run lead in the ninth inning.
Milwaukee catapulted in front with a three-spot, thanks to RBI singles from Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell and Jake Bauers. Díaz was yanked before Bauers’, when the game was tied 4-4. He was responsible for all three runs, though.
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Díaz attributed the collapse to his inconsistency. After beginning the ninth with a strikeout, he allowed four straight singles.
“I was throwing my fastball right in the middle,” Díaz said, via SportsNet LA. “When you miss right in the middle, you have to pay. So that’s what I did today.”
Díaz later added: “It’s frustrating because I know my ability. I know what I can do on the mound. To not be able to do it sucks. I’ve just got to come tomorrow and try to keep getting better.”
The Dodgers do have other options at the position. After all, Tanner Scott did an admirable job filling Díaz’s vacancy earlier this season; however, the Dodgers have enjoyed his versatility late in games, deploying him in other spots.
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In order for them to even consider a closer-by-committee approach, the team’s relievers will have to regain their form, Roberts explained. If that happens, perhaps some combination of Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, Edgardo Henriquez and Jack Dreyer could be in the conversation. Since the start of July, the Dodgers’ bullpen ERA is a pedestrian 4.71, according to ESPN.
For now, though, Roberts isn’t making a drastic change.
“It’s just not that easy when a guy’s done it for seven, eight years, whatever it is, to change routines,” he said, per ESPN.
“Part of my job is to give him the best opportunity to prepare and have success, and then it goes to the player to kind of go out there and do their job.”
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