RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Dave Roberts isn't sounding any alarms after another rough outing from Edwin Diaz.
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the ninth inning up 4-2 over the Milwaukee Brewers before Roberts turned to his closer. Instead of securing the win and matching Milwaukee for the National League's best record, Diaz squandered the lead by surrendering four hits and three runs in a 5-4 loss.
Diaz has now blown three saves in his last four outings and allowed nine runs in 5.2 innings since returning from the injured list in late July. However, Roberts demurred when asked about removing the offseason signee from the closer's role after Thursday's loss.
"Give me another option," Roberts said, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez .
The Dodgers seem to have one clear option if moving Diaz to lower-leverage assignments. Tanner Scott has a 2.25 ERA and 16 saves this season.
Yet Diaz has spent nearly all of his career as a closer, so Roberts is reluctant to change the 32-year-old's role.
"It's just not that easy when a guy's done it for seven, eight years, whatever it is, to change routines," Roberts explained. "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."
The Dodgers awarded Diaz a three-year, $69 million deal after he registered a 1.63 ERA with the New York Mets last season. He's already allowed more runs (15) in 11.2 innings with his new team than the 14 he surrendered over 66.1 frames last year.
"I've just got to find a way to pitch better," Diaz said. "I've been in this position before, and I've been able to find a way to get better. I've just got to sit down with the pitching coaches to see what I'm missing and what they say to see if we can fix it."
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