Dave Roberts Picks Reliever to Handle Save Chances After Diaz Injury

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is left with one less bullpen option after news that Edwin Diaz is heading to the injured list and is going through elbow surgery. Roberts, since becoming the Dodgers manager, has faced difficult bullpen decisions regularly, learning to get a feel for his relievers and knowing when to pull a pitcher and when to leave them in. The manager has gotten quite good at deploying his arms, using the regular season as a good gauge for when to deploy his arms, though his management skills will be tested now that closer Edwin Diaz, the team’s bona fide closer , has been ruled out for months.

The Dodgers, luckily, have veteran and young talent to thrive in Diaz’s absence, though it will require a balancing act. Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks on from the bench during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Ahead of the series against the San Francisco Giants, Roberts was asked about who would take over the bulk of the save chances at the end of games, especially now that a certified closer is missing.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation) What is the Dodgers’ new closer approach? Roberts, as expected, outlined that there will be a handful of options for the team to deploy, but one player stands out as someone who should see an increase in save chances. “I would say probably Tanner Scott if I had to guess.

We’ll see, and that could change, and honestly, I mean, Tanner could pitch in the seventh tonight, and Blake could get the save, so honestly, it’s kind of day-to-day for me, it really is,” Roberts said. While a closer is still valued in modern baseball, the Dodgers have typically operated without a dedicated guy, and Roberts wants to leave that door open for the team to play matchups and feel. “I think that the closer should stand out amongst the other guys as far as performance, where it’s a clear-cut guy at the back end, and I think for me, we have the luxury of having a lot of guys that are in a similar bucket, and that’s my hesitation,” Roberts added.