PHOENIX – Edwin Diaz hasn’t thrown his first pitch for the Dodgers, but he has already envisioned what it would be like to be to throw the last one of a World Series.
“Of course,” Diaz said in Spanish.
The sound of the crowd. The celebration on the mound. The overwhelming emotions.
“I imagine it’s an incredible feeling,” Diaz said.
In each of the three championships the Dodgers won in the last six years, the final out was recorded by a starting pitcher.
Julio Urias in 2020.
Walker Buehler in 2024.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto last year.
As a closer for nearly his entire 10-year career, Diaz has aspired to share that distinction with them. His chances dramatically improved in December when he signed a three-year, $69-million contract with the two-time defending World Series champions.
“Every person, every player dreams of winning the World Series,” the former Mets fireman said. “If they give me the opportunity and I’m the last person on the mound, it would be a dream come true.”
The plans are for Diaz to have that opportunity.
The three-time All-Star will be the Dodgers’ most established ninth-inning specialist since Kenley Jansen, the franchise’s all-time saves leader.
“It’s huge,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Last year showed why. The Dodgers had two closers in Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, but neither of them pitched well. The late-inning instability forced Roberts to constantly move his relievers into different roles, with inexperienced arms occasionally forced into high-leverage situations for which they were not ready.
Injuries to the starting pitchers contributed to the relievers being overused, the Dodgers’ bullpen leading the majors in innings pitched.
Heading into the postseason, it looked as if the relievers might cost the Dodgers another championship. Ultimately, they were saved by the unexpected emergence of Roki Sasaki as a closer, as well as the heroics of Yamamoto.
Even before the Dodgers signed Diaz, they were hopeful the bullpen results would improve. Scott and Blake Treinen have recovered from their respective injuries. Evan Phillips, Brock Stewart and Brusdar Graterol are coming back from surgeries and expected to return at some point this season.
“This year, having everybody healthy and with a good reset, adding a guy like Edwin, with the young guys coming back, it will be good,” Treinen said.
As Treinen referenced, the Dodgers have some high-throwing youngsters, including Edgardo Henriquez, Justin Wrobleski, Jack Dreyer, Will Klein and Ben Casparius.
Left-hander Alex Vesia also returns after a season in which he pitched a career-high 68 games. The workhorse missed the World Series because of the death of his newborn daughter.
“Myself, being able to be a part of this bullpen is a plus,” Diaz said. “I came here to help this team win another championship. At the end of the day, if I do my job, we’ll be in good position.”
From Roberts’ perspective, everything starts with Diaz
“I don’t think there’s one way to manage a ‘pen, but when you have a guy like Edwin Diaz as your closer, I do think it frees up the other guys, myself included,” Roberts said.
Because Diaz will pitch the ninth inning regardless of who’s batting for the other team, Roberts will be able to deploy the team’s other relievers more strategically based on specific matchups.
An example: The left-handed Scott can be unleashed against the portions of lineups containing the opponents’ best left-handed hitters.
“Being able to use Tanner in any inning of leverage is going to be good for him and going to be good for us,” Roberts said.
Roberts said he likes what Diaz brings to the team.
Watching Diaz from the opposing bench, Roberts said he found him to be fearless. In three postseason games against the Dodgers in the 2024 National League Championship Series, Diaz pitched 5 ⅓ scoreless innings with six strikeouts and a save.
“Not afraid,” Roberts said. “When he’s in the game, it’s an uncomfortable at-bat for lefties and righties. Just a great competitor.”
With Roberts as manager, matchups have dictated bullpen roles, especially in the postseason. Diaz said the team could deploy him however it sees necessary.
“I think that in the postseason, there aren’t any defined roles because there could be a situation in any inning and the manager will look at how to get out of that and win the game,” Diaz said. “Sometimes, the game isn’t won in the ninth inning. Sometimes, it’s won in the sixth or seventh.”
Still, Diaz acknowledged it would be special for him to pitch the final out of the final game.
“Of course, if they give me the opportunity to close the final game of the World Series, it would be an achievement for me,” Diaz said.
He has already pictured the scene in his head. He’s now ready to live it.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
