Diaz's Closer Woes Continue
Edwin Diaz's Bullpen Struggles Cost Dodgers 5-4 Loss to Brewers
Key Points
Dodgers signed Edwin Diaz last winter to be the dedicated closer, signaling a bullpen shift after a five-year stretch without a true closer.
Diaz's latest blown save marked his third in his past four appearances, as he surrendered four straight singles in the ninth after which Alex Vesia allowed the fifth, sealing Milwaukee's comeback.
Max Muncy’s pinch-hit three-run homer in the sixth gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead and also moved him to the 131st Dodger Stadium homer, passing Eric Karros for the stadium record.
Trevor Megill earned the save for Milwaukee, sealing the 5-4 win after Diaz’s collapse.
Roki Sasaki logged six innings with 101 pitches (54 strikes), facing baserunners in five of six frames and issuing five walks, including a fourth inning where three walks helped produce two Brewers runs.
Edwin Díaz blew his third save in six days on Tuesday, surrendering four straight singles in the ninth inning to hand the Milwaukee Brewers a 5-4 comeback win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to Bleacher Report. The loss widens Milwaukee's NL-best record advantage and puts the Dodgers two games back, with a glaring bullpen problem now front and center.
The collapse came just as the Dodgers had seized control. Max Muncy's pinch-hit three-run homer in the sixth inning gave Los Angeles a 4-2 lead — and made history in the process. Then Díaz walked out for the ninth, and it all fell apart.
Díaz Allows Four Straight Hits to Squander Lead
Díaz entered the ninth with a two-run cushion and retired no one cleanly. He gave up four consecutive singles, allowing three runs to score. Alex Vesia came in but could not stop the bleeding, as Milwaukee added a fifth run to seal it. Trevor Megill closed it out for the save, per Bleacher Report.
The meltdown was Díaz's third blown save in his past four appearances, according to The New York Times. Since returning from midseason elbow surgery, he has allowed a run in five of his recent outings. The $69 million closer looks nothing like the dominant pitcher the Dodgers paid for last winter.
Muncy's Record-Breaking Homer Briefly Flipped the Game
Before Díaz's collapse, Max Muncy gave Dodgers fans a moment to celebrate. His pinch-hit three-run blast in the sixth inning turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. It was also his 131st home run at Dodger Stadium, passing Eric Karros for the all-time record at that ballpark, according to Bleacher Report.
Sasaki Battles Walks But Holds Brewers to Two Runs Through Six
Roki Sasaki kept the Dodgers in the game despite shaky command. He threw 101 pitches — only 54 for strikes — and issued five walks across six innings. In the fourth inning alone, three walks helped the Brewers score two runs, per The New York Times.
Still, Sasaki allowed just two runs total and kept Los Angeles within striking distance. Baserunners reached in five of his six frames. The offense eventually bailed him out — until Díaz made it meaningless.
Dave Roberts Refuses to Pull Díaz from Closer Role
Despite the string of failures, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is not moving Díaz out of the closer spot, according to Bleacher Report. Roberts backed his pitcher publicly after the loss, keeping faith in a three-time All-Star who cost the team $69 million to sign last winter specifically to fill a closer role the club had lacked for five years.
That loyalty is being tested fast. The Brewers now hold the NL's best record, and the Dodgers — despite their star-studded roster — look fragile in late innings. How long Roberts sticks with Díaz may define Los Angeles's October chances, according to The New York Times.
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