Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz picked up his first save since August during Tuesday night’s NLDS Game 3, capping a difficult season with a moment his longtime friend and teammate Kiké Hernández called well-earned.
Diaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason to anchor the bullpen, struggled for much of the year. He finished the regular season with an 8.68 ERA and converted just seven of eleven save opportunities, with repeated injuries interrupting his season.
Hernández, who has known Diaz since before he was drafted, spoke about their friendship and what it meant to watch him close out Tuesday’s game.
“I haven’t had the chance to play with too many Puerto Rican guys… there’s so few of us in the league. I’ve known Sugar since before he got drafted.”
“This year, it was a very difficult year. It’s very easy to put the year aside, and he worked his a— off to get to this point.”
The Dodgers gave Diaz something to work with on Tuesday after Hernández and Freddie Freeman each homered in the third inning, providing the only run support of the night. Los Angeles held the lead the rest of the game, setting up Diaz for the save chance.
The outing wasn’t clean from the start. Diaz gave up a leadoff double to Ozzie Albies before retiring the next three batters he faced to close out the win.
Diaz’s turnaround traces back to a mechanical adjustment he made after his most recent injury stint, which ran between August and September. Since returning, he has made five bullpen appearances, allowing just one hit and zero runs while striking out nine batters.
“For him, it was one slight mechanical adjustment that he needed to do, that he didn’t realize,” Hernández said.
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