Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is not messing around, folks. Not when his $69 million closer Edwin Díaz is sporting an 11.85 ERA in just 16 big-league appearances this season, including a brutal two-out, five-run meltdown in Triple-A on Sunday. Roberts, a guy with three rings and over 1,000 wins, is usually good at shielding his players, but he laid it all out there about Díaz. When asked about the closer’s performance, Roberts was blunt: “He needs to pitch better. It hasn’t been good.”
Roberts Delivers the Hard Truth on Díaz
This is the kind of honesty you just do not hear from most MLB skippers, especially in a big market. But Roberts didn’t stop there. He went even further, making it crystal clear that a spot on the postseason roster is absolutely not guaranteed for Díaz. “Yeah. We have to go with our best pitchers,” Roberts said when asked if there’s a scenario where Díaz gets left off. He added, “My bet is that he will be, but you know, again, there’s gotta be some kind of evidence or something for us, again, to sort of bet on. My bet is yes, but we still got to see something.” That’s a huge statement about a $69 million arm. And just to pile on the bullpen woes, Edgardo Henriquez, who had been one of their most effective relief options, hit the IL with low back discomfort. He is set to miss the rest of the regular season, and his postseason return is up in the air pending imaging results. This Dodgers bullpen, middle of the pack for most of the year, just took another major blow.
Skubal Shines, Finding His Groove at the Right Time
But hold up, because there’s a serious silver lining here. While the bullpen drama unfolds, Tarik Skubal, the Dodgers’ star trade-deadline acquisition and a two-time Cy Young winner, absolutely dominated. He delivered his best start yet in his new uniform on Monday, throwing seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts. He only needed 90 pitches to get through it, producing his first scoreless outing as a Dodger. Skubal leaned heavily on his four-seamer, showing his highest usage on the pitch since September 2024. After the game, Skubal admitted he’d been overthinking things a bit as he adjusted to his new team. “A lot of the struggle has kind of been me versus me,” he explained to the media. “Thinking too much out there. Not competing the way I want to compete. Thinking too much about pitch selection. Trying to be too fine at times and not challenging guys.” His simpler, heat-first approach clearly worked wonders against the Reds, and it seems like Skubal is finally settling in after a whirlwind summer.
This team is headed to the postseason, we know that much. But with a $69 million closer on the ropes and a key reliever injured, the emergence of Skubal couldn’t be more critical. You gotta wonder if this dominant Skubal is here to stay, and if Díaz can actually show Roberts the “evidence” he needs.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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