Edwin Díaz, the guy you normally count on to shut it down, is likely gonna be unavailable for the Dodgers for the rest of the weekend series against the Brewers. The dude’s been working overtime, pitching two straight nights with extended outings, and honestly, the results haven’t been what anyone expects from him.
What’s Going On With His Mechanics?
We’re talking serious struggles here. Díaz was just on the bump Friday night, loading the bases in the ninth inning, and while he somehow managed to escape with a save, let’s be real, it was anything but a clean outing. That came after he blew a save against the Brewers the night before, giving up three runs. Since coming back from the injured list, he’s only had one clean appearance in six tries, coughing up seven runs in a mere 4 2/3 innings. Friday was rough, with Díaz walking two batters and hitting another, loading the bases again. He got lucky, though, thanks to a fantastic play by second baseman Tommy Edman and a grounder to shortstop Mookie Betts that sealed the win. But the numbers don’t lie: he threw only 11 strikes in 26 pitches on Friday. Manager Dave Roberts admitted, “It wasn’t pretty, I watched the inning too.” Díaz himself is trying to figure it out, saying his posture on the mound is off, causing him to lean too much towards right-handed hitters and miss off the plate. He claims Friday was “way better” and his “fastball ride was way batter than yesterday,” so he thinks he’s “going in a good direction.” We gotta hope so.
Dodgers Bullpen Is Getting REDLINED
Look, it’s not just Díaz, the whole Dodgers bullpen is looking exhausted right now. Díaz and Tanner Scott have each pitched five times in the last eight days. That’s a workload that’s only happened four times *all season* for the Dodgers bullpen before this crazy stretch, with Scott hitting it twice, Alex Vesia once, and Evan Phillips once. Now, if Vesia, Phillips, or even Jack Dreyer pitches today, they’ll be hitting that five-in-eight mark too. Roberts is clearly worried, saying, “That’s the hard part, that a lot of people don’t have the information on availability and workload, and redlining guys, trying to keep guys healthy.” He’s grappling with the “cost of that night versus the next two or three games and looking also at the rest of the season.” The good news, if there is any, is that Roberts mentioned the strength and pitching departments have “detected some things I think we could clean up,” and they started that process. He’s hoping a couple of days off will mean “an even better version going forward.”
The Dodgers desperately need Díaz to get back to his dominant self, not just to salvage this Brewers series, but for the grueling rest of the season. With the bullpen stretched thinner than a tightrope, every single pitch he throws in the coming days is gonna be under a microscope. Can he really get back to throwing straight down the plate? We’re all gonna be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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