If Edwin Diaz doesnt improve, Roki Sasaki can be Dodgers playoff closer again

PHOENIX – What if Edwin Diaz’s problems were never the loose bodies that were removed from his elbow four months ago?What if the Dodgers burned $69 million on Diaz a year after they flushed $72 million down the toilet to sign Tanner Scott?What if Diaz is just cooked?“I just don’t think right now there’s a clear-cut alternative,” manager Dave Roberts said.The key words in that sentence: Right now.Come the playoffs, Roberts will have another choice.He’ll have the option of deploying Roki Sasaki as his closer. Like he did last October.Only this time, Sasaki’s inclusion on the roster won’t represent a stab in the dark for the Dodgers, who now have a better idea of what they have in the Japanese fireballer.“I just think he’s a much better pitcher,” Roberts said.Sasaki’s presence has to be a major source of comfort for the Dodgers considering how Diaz has looked since returning from the injured list.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story Diaz has given up runs in three of the four games he has pitched.His most recent setback was the most devastating, the Dodgers two outs from ending their season-worst losing streak at six games on Friday night, only for him to serve up a walk-off, two-run home run to Ryan Waldschmidt in a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.To his credit, Diaz didn’t make any excuses for the slider he hung to cost his team the game.“I’m a big league pitcher, so gotta make pitches,” Diaz said.

“Next time when I come in, I gotta do better.”At very least, the three-time All-Star is comfortable performing the high-wire act of taking down the last three out of the game, and that was the main reason Roberts moved him right back into the closer’s role when he was activated from the 60-day in...