Dodgers’ Edwin Diaz Speaks About Friday’s Struggles

Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz blew a save for the first time in 2026 on Friday, and revealed the issues he had during the outing.

The right-hander allowed three runs in an inning, allowing the Texas Rangers back into the game in the ninth inning.

Diaz said he didn’t have any physical issues despite his velocity being down, and that his fastball has taken some time to get up to speed since suffering a season-ending injury in 2023, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.

The right-hander spent all of 2023 on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury during Team Puerto Rico’s celebrations after beating Team Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic that year.

Manager Dave Roberts had the same message about Diaz’s fitness, and said he has a shot at playing in the series finale prior to Saturday’s game.

“He was down today,” Roberts said. “…The velocity was down (Friday), so we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

Mar 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz (3) throws against the Cleveland Guardians during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

How Has Edwin Diaz Played for the Dodgers?

The Dodgers signed Diaz to a three-year, $69 million deal during the offseason, and had been fantastic for the Dodgers up until Friday.

Diaz converted all of his first four save attempts in Dodger blue, and had only allowed one earned run before allowing three in Friday’s outing.

He has a 6.00 ERA through six innings pitched for the Dodgers, and has struck out 10 batters during that time. Diaz has already allowed four runs in 2026, which is one third of the runs he allowed all the way through 2025 with the Mets.

It’s far too early to judge the reliever after just six appearances, and he’ll look to get back on track whenever his next appearance comes.

Who Do the Dodgers Play on Sunday?

The Dodgers still won Friday’s game against the Rangers despite Diaz’s blown save, and are looking to complete a sweep on Sunday after winning the series Saturday.

Roki Sasaki will take the mound for the third time this season in the series finale, and will look to bounce back following a rough start against the Washington Nationals a week ago. The Dodgers went with a heavily left-handed lineup for the game, and will hope they can grab a win against the right-handed Jacob DeGrom.

Dodgers Lineup for Sunday

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Andy Pages, CF
4. Freddie Freeman, 1B
5. Max Muncy, 3B
6. Alex Freeland, 2B
7. Dalton Rushing, C
8. Alex Call, LF
9. Hyeseong Kim, SS

The Dodgers will hope their lineup can continue producing so they can maintain their three-game lead atop the NL West. First pitch comes at 1:10 p.m. PT.

Do you think Edwin Diaz will bounce back after his rough start.