Dodgers might have new trade deadline question after meltdown vs Mets

NEW YORK — The Dodgers will get closer Edwin Díaz back from injury this week, with the $69 million offseason signing set to be activated Wednesday.But in a 8-3 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday, their bullpen encountered problems well before the ninth.In both the sixth and seventh innings, relievers Evan Phillips and Will Klein allowed three-run home runs to a scuffling Mets offense, turning what had been an early Dodgers’ lead into a one-sided rout.The result underscored one growing question the Dodgers could be facing ahead of MLB’s Aug.3 trade deadline.Even with Díaz set to return — after having a procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow in April — the rest of the bullpen remains an area that might benefit from a potential upgrade, even after manager Dave Roberts insisted pregame that his “trust tree” of relievers is “as big … as we’ve had.”Lately, the team’s right-handed options, specifically, haven’t looked as sharp as earlier in the year.And on Sunday, it was two of them who suffered the afternoon’s biggest stumbles, in a defeat that denied the Dodgers the chance for a series sweep at Citi Field.After lefty Jack Dreyer walked two batters in the sixth, Phillips entered the game and promptly gave up the decisive blow: A three-run homer to Tyrone Taylor that flipped a 3-1 Dodgers lead into a 4-3 deficit.An inning later, Klein fared even worse against the top of the Mets lineup.

A leadoff walk, infield single and passed ball led to one run.Then, after another walk with two outs in the inning, pinch-hitter Marcus Semien went deep for a back-breaking three-run shot.The implosion wasted a five-inning, one-run start from Emmet Sheehan (who wasn’t very efficient but managed to limit damage).It also raised at least one more question mark for the front office to ponder entering deadline week.While the Dodgers’ bullpen has been a strength for most of the season, entering Sunday with the eighth-best ERA in the majors at 3.79, th...