Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sounds alarm on closer Edwin Diaz following Rockies blunder

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sounds alarm on closer Edwin Diaz following Rockies blunder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Dodgers brought in Edwin Diaz during free agency, signaling once again that they were targeting top talent. Díaz is now the Dodgers’ closer, but he has already begun dealing with some issues.

“Diaz blew his first save of the season in his most recent appearance, which was against the Rangers in the opening game of the Dodgers’ recently completed homestand. He said he experienced discomfort in his right knee,” New York Post’s Dylan Hernandez wrote.

The knee discomfort came seemingly out of nowhere, but the Dodgers are being cautious with Díaz. Manager Dave Roberts is making sure it is handled properly.

“Dave Roberts said the Dodgers are still gonna “tread lightly” with Edwin Díaz’s workload as he works to get his velocity up. His usage will be evaluated “day-to-day” for now. Roberts clarified that the concern level with Díaz is low & that “it’s not an IL thing we’re talking about” Instead, he framed it as just wanting to be cautious with their new closer until his stuff is back to where it normally is,” California Post’s Jack Harris wrote.

On Sunday, Díaz appeared against the Colorado Rockies and was unable to record an out—an uncharacteristic performance. Roberts met with the media afterward and admitted there is some level of concern.

“Today was a tough evaluation,” Roberts said. “I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really. So, I’ll have a conversation with him.”

The positive is that there is still plenty of season left for Díaz to figure things out. However, if this is an injury-related issue, it needs to be addressed now. At this point, if something is bothering him, Díaz needs to be upfront about it.

The Dodgers remain a very strong team, but if Díaz cannot be relied upon, it suggests something may be off. This could simply be a rough stretch coinciding with his knee discomfort, or it could be a deeper issue that needs attention.

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