Edwin Diaz, the dude who’s battled it this year, has suddenly found his groove again, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is dropping some seriously big hints about his future. Roberts straight up said Diaz has shown enough to be in the conversation for high-leverage relief spots, even a save opportunity, which is a massive turnaround for the reliever.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Diaz is Dealing
So, what’s got Roberts so hyped? Diaz returned from the injured list on September 18th against the San Francisco Giants, and from day one, he’s been lights out. He started in low-leverage spots, but he threw a scoreless outing, allowing just one hit and racking up two punchouts. The very next day, he was back at it, another scoreless inning, giving up a walk but still grabbing two more strikeouts. Then, facing the San Diego Padres, he mowed them down with two more strikeouts in yet another shutout inning. That’s three innings total, six strikeouts, zero runs allowed, only one hit, and just one walk. That’s efficiency, man.
It’s not just the basic stats, either. The underlying stuff is even better. Diaz hasn’t allowed any hard-hit balls or barrels in his recent appearances, which is huge. He’s thrown 40 strikes on 60 pitches, showing he’s attacking the zone. His fastball has some serious life to it, and his slider? More movement than we’ve seen in a while. But the real game-changer is his command. It’s better than ever, letting him pinpoint pitches and keep those walks off the board. When you see a guy go through all that he’s had to go through and then right the ship like this, you gotta give him credit.
Roberts is Putting Him in the “Trust Tree”
Roberts isn’t just talking hypotheticals, either. He’s putting Diaz’s name right out there for some serious work. “I think it’s one of those things that if you’re one of the 12, 13 pitchers on a potential postseason roster, you’re in the trust tree,” Roberts stated. “And he’s put himself right smack in that conversation.” That’s high praise, especially when the postseason is just around the corner. Roberts even hinted at using Diaz in a save situation over his next two relief appearances. With five games left on the schedule for the Dodgers as of Wednesday, Diaz is slated to pitch in two of them, and Roberts flat out said, “The way he’s throwing the ninth is possible.”
This is a big moment for Diaz. If he keeps this momentum going, and that confidence just keeps growing, he’s got the pedigree and experience to be a huge asset in the postseason, maybe even closing games. Keep an eye on his next two outings; Roberts might just give him that save opportunity everyone’s been talking about.
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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