Dave Roberts Fires Back at Edwin Diaz Closer Questions: ‘Give Me Another Option’

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was noticeably frustrated after the team lost 5-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers, especially after deploying so many relievers.

Naturally, after a game that essentially came down to Edwin Diaz’s closer inability, Roberts faced questions about the closer role moving forward.

Diaz came in during the top of the ninth inning, and after a strikeout, he allowed four straight singles, coughing up the lead and exiting the game after just two outs with runners in scoring position.

Alex Vesia gave up a weak grounder that ended up being a hit that led to the go-ahead run.

This was not Diaz’s first bad outing, but one of many this season. Even after rehabbing with shoulder surgery, Diaz has come back looking shaky.

A typically very confident Diaz was noticeably disappointed after his outing, and when asked about his ability to handle the closer role, he said that it would come down to what the team thought.

Manager Dave Roberts was noticeably annoyed postgame, both about the performance and how his closer is doing.

Thus, when pressed on alternatives, Roberts feels like there is no better option at this moment given his experience.

“Give me another option,” Roberts said sharply to the media, including Dodgers Nation. “I can’t just say change (and use Diaz) in lower leverage; I have to have other options. And to be quite honest, none of those guys really are throwing the baseball great. So that’s just kind of the way it is.

“We’ve got to get other guys on track to even have that be even a valid conversation to be honest with you.”

Roberts’ evidence-based frustration did not end there; when the idea of a closer by committee was brought up, or alternatives were discussed, he again felt like throwing his weight behind Diaz as his closer, hoping to give him a ramp to improve.

“Who’s the other option?” Roberts told reporters, including Dodgers Nation. “I mean, you look back at the last week and guys have struggled. I’m not going to sit here and play carousel and chase my tail and say, when the guy’s struggling, and then when he doesn’t pitch well, then why are you pitching him?

“So I don’t do that. You know, everyone’s got a role. They all have jobs to do, and they all have to do their job. That’s it.”

What are the Dodgers’ other options?

Honestly, Tanner Scott was in a similar spot to Diaz last year, but he managed to turn things around a year later after being moved down to the setup man.

Scott did a solid job of being the closer for a while during Diaz’s absence, and perhaps he could return for a bit while Diaz gains confidence.

Additionally, there are big guys like Edgardo Henriquez and Seth Halvorsen who can possibly offer some better potential swing-and-miss stuff.

Alex Vesia has been mostly reliable as well, and while he has experienced a decline since his early-season performance, he may be one of the relievers who can fill in while Diaz figures things out.

Regardless, even if his reputation is stellar and there are some underlying reasons, like his fastball, to be optimistic about Diaz bouncing back, a three-peat campaign can ill afford more of these blown saves in September and especially in October.