Dodgers Bullpen Crisis
Dodgers Bullpen Woes Continue as Edwin Diaz Blows Third Save, Frustrating Dave Roberts
Edwin Diaz has run out of explanations, and Dave Roberts is nearly out of patience. The Los Angeles Dodgers lost 5-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers after Diaz blew a save for the third time in his last four appearances, according to The Facts. It is the latest meltdown from a bullpen that has become the team's biggest problem.
The loss is part of a brutal recent stretch for Los Angeles. The Dodgers have lost nine of their last 13 games, according to Yahoo Sports. Since July 19, they have won just two games by more than two runs. For a team built to compete for a World Series title, that is an alarming trend.
Diaz Blows Third Save in Four Outings
Diaz is the highest-paid closer in baseball. Yet right now, he cannot get the job done. He blew the save against Milwaukee, costing the Dodgers a win they badly needed, according to Newsday. Roberts did not hide his frustration after the game. He was described as "infuriated" — a word that tells you just how serious this has gotten.
Diaz himself offered no clear answers for his struggles, according to SWOKNEWS. That silence makes things worse. When a closer cannot explain what is going wrong, it is hard for a manager to fix it. Roberts has had to problem-solve constantly, and his options are getting thin.
Tanner Scott Waits in the Wings as Closer
The most obvious solution is already on the roster. Left-hander Tanner Scott stepped in as closer while Diaz was out earlier this season. He earned 16 saves during that stretch, according to WFMZ. Scott proved he can handle the job. Now the question is whether Roberts is ready to make the switch permanent.
Moving a closer mid-season is never easy. It sends a message to the clubhouse and to the player being replaced. But the Dodgers are losing games they should win. At some point, results matter more than feelings, according to Leader Telegram.
Dodgers Offense Cannot Bail Out a Leaky Bullpen
The Dodgers have scored enough runs in recent games to win. The problem is they keep giving those runs back. Winning just two games by more than two runs since July 19 means the bullpen is erasing nearly every close lead, according to Las Vegas Sun. That is not a one-game problem. That is a pattern.
A team with Los Angeles's payroll and talent should not be this vulnerable late in games. The bullpen issues have turned what should be wins into losses. If the Dodgers cannot fix the back end of their pitching staff soon, their playoff standing could be at real risk, according to WSB-TV.
Roberts Faces His Toughest Roster Decision of the Year
Roberts has managed through injuries and lineup shake-ups all season. But this bullpen crisis may be his hardest test yet. He has to decide whether to stick with Diaz — a proven closer when healthy — or hand the ninth inning to Scott full time, according to KDH News.
Neither choice is easy. Pulling Diaz from the closer role could shake his confidence further. Keeping him there risks more blown saves and more losses. Roberts is "almost out of patience," according to SWOKNEWS, and the pressure to act is growing with every game the Dodgers drop in the standings.
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