Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t hold back when asked about his bullpen’s performance in Sunday’s loss to the Colorado Rockies.
The Dodgers entered the seventh inning with a 4-3 lead, but Blake Treinen allowed four consecutive hits—three of which were for extra bases—to relinquish the lead. Diaz came in for the eighth inning and couldn’t record an out before allowing three earned runs.
“They just both weren’t sharp,” Roberts said of Treinen and Diaz. “I thought we were in a good position to use Blake and have Tanner behind him. He just wasn’t sharp and couldn’t get anyone out today. Didn’t seem like the slider had much impact.
“With Edwin, [he] just didn’t have any command, and the velocity was down. Obviously not a save situation, there might have been son adrenaline or lack thereof that played into it.”
"I thought Roki did a nice job as far as getting outs early and being efficient… overall, better outing."Dave Roberts addresses the media after the #Dodgers 9-6 loss to the Rockies. pic.twitter.com/NlCOkemDI5
Roberts continued to elaborate on Diaz’s form, as he’s been on the sidelines for more than a week under mysterious circumstances.
“He hasn’t pitched in eight days, so I’m certain there’s some rust to that,” Roberts said. “Again, the non-save situation, but talking to him today he wanted to pitch regardless. So I think it’s just one of those things, hopefully, where he just hasn’t pitched in a while.”
Both Diaz and Treinen had solid starts to the year, but have fallen apart over the last week or so.
Treinen hadn’t allowed a run heading into Sunday’s outing, but now has a 4.05 ERA after failing to record an out.
As for Diaz, he has allowed three runs in both of his last two appearances, and his lack of game time is a growing cause for concern for Dodger fans given Roberts’ general vagueness over the course of the debacle.
The Dodgers still have one last game in the first series of their seven-game road trip, and will play the Rockies for a fourth time on Monday at 5:40 p.m. PT.
Justin Wrobleski will start for the Dodgers, and will hope to get them back on track after losing consecutive games for the first time in 2026.
Do you think Treinen and Diaz’s performances were a one off? Or are you worried?