LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the ninth inning with a 4–2 lead over the Milwaukee Brewers and appeared to be on the verge of an important victory at Dodger Stadium.
But the two run advantage quickly disappeared as the Los Angeles bullpen once again failed to protect what had been built over the first eight innings.
Closer Edwin Díaz was given the responsibility of finishing the game but allowed the Brewers to apply constant pressure with several important hits.
Milwaukee tied the game 4–4 before Alex Vesia entered and allowed Jake Bauers to deliver the single that brought home the decisive run, handing the Dodgers a 5–4 loss.
It marked the third blown save for Díaz in his last four appearances, while his ERA after 14 outings with the Dodgers climbed to 11.57.
The situation became even more tense when more than 46,000 fans at Dodger Stadium loudly booed the 32 year old closer as he walked off the mound.
After the game, discussions reportedly continued throughout the clubhouse as some players did not hide their frustration over the team once again letting a lead slip away.
Díaz quickly became the center of criticism, particularly because his recent form has directly affected several important games.
The Dodgers bullpen is also dealing with a larger problem, carrying a 4.71 ERA since the beginning of July during a period when the team is facing a demanding schedule.
With nearly all of the pressure falling on Díaz, Shohei Ohtani broke his silence and stepped forward to defend his teammate.
Ohtani argued that making one pitcher solely responsible for a loss was unfair, particularly when the decision over who serves as the closer belongs to the coaching staff.
“He is trying to do the job the team is asking him to do. Who goes to the mound in the ninth inning is the manager’s decision, and we have to respect that. No one should turn one person into the only reason for a loss. We win together, and we have to take responsibility together as well.”
Ohtani’s message reportedly helped ease some of the tension inside the clubhouse following a deeply disappointing night.
Dave Roberts also publicly maintained that the Dodgers have no plans to remove Díaz from the closer role despite three blown saves in his last four save opportunities.
When asked about an alternative, Roberts responded directly that the team needs to have a genuinely better option before making a change.
Tanner Scott previously served as the closer while Díaz was injured, but Los Angeles wants to use him more flexibly in high leverage situations.
Other options such as Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia and Edgardo Henriquez have also not shown enough consistency to force an immediate change.
Díaz admitted after the game that his fastball command has been a major problem, with too many pitches ending up in the middle of the strike zone and being punished by opposing hitters.
He said he would work with the pitching coaches to identify what is missing and make corrections before the most important stage of the season begins.
For Ohtani, defending Díaz does not mean ignoring the mistakes that have occurred, but rather reminding the entire team that responsibility must be shared.
The Dodgers still lead the NL West, but every victory they let slip away at this stage could directly affect their postseason position.
And as the pressure continues to rise, Ohtani’s message is clear: the Dodgers will struggle to go deep if the players inside their own clubhouse begin turning against one another.
