Edwin Díaz Solidifies Dodgers’ Closer Role as Bullpen Takes Shape

As the Dodgers gear up for the upcoming season, the bullpen’s evolution is one of the most pressing storylines. By Game 7 of last year’s World Series, the cracks in the Dodgers’ relief pitching were glaring, even amidst their dramatic triumph. They relied heavily on their starting rotation, deploying all four postseason starters—Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto—along with Justin Wrobleski and Emmet Sheehan, who had combined for 14 regular-season starts, to secure a nail-biting 5-4, 11-inning victory that clinched back-to-back championships.

This offseason, the Dodgers took significant steps to bolster their bullpen by signing three-time All-Star Edwin Díaz to a lucrative three-year, $69 million contract. With the closer position now firmly established for the first time since Kenley Jansen’s departure in 2021, the next challenge lies in determining how the rest of the bullpen will be structured as spring training unfolds.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed optimism about the additions to the bullpen. “Obviously, adding Díaz to the back end is huge for us, and getting Alex Vesia back is going to be good, and also Blake [Treinen]. Blake wasn’t right last year, clearly. He’s throwing the baseball really well. Having guys that you trust is everything for the pen. You’ve got to count on those veteran guys for sure,” he noted.

Among those veterans is left-hander Tanner Scott, who joined the Dodgers last season on a four-year, $72 million deal. After struggling as a closer and dealing with a left elbow injury that sidelined him for a month, Scott is looking to rebound. He made his Cactus League debut against the Chicago Cubs, pitching a scoreless inning, striking out one batter and allowing just one hit over 17 pitches. Roberts believes this fresh start will benefit Scott immensely. “I think being able to use Tanner in any inning of leverage is going to be good for him, and it’s going to be good for us,” he said.

Díaz, meanwhile, is settling into his new role, making his second and final spring appearance before joining Team Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic. He navigated around two walks to deliver a scoreless inning, striking out one. Vesia, who missed the World Series due to personal tragedy, has returned with two scoreless innings under his belt, while Treinen looked sharp in his first Cactus League outing, pitching a perfect inning against the Chicago White Sox.

At 37 years old, Treinen is a seasoned veteran, having played a pivotal role in the Dodgers’ recent postseason runs. However, last season was a struggle for him as he finished with a 1-5 record and a 9.64 ERA in September. “You never know what the body throttles back,” Treinen reflected. “I had a UCL injury, so I don’t know if that’s part of the problem, but something was different. … Just trying to clean things up to where the ball does more of what it has done most of my career.”

As the Dodgers navigate their spring training, right-hander Brusdar Graterol is still working his way back from right labrum surgery, while Evan Phillips is expected to miss several months following Tommy John surgery last June. However, the healthy relievers have started to showcase their potential for the upcoming season.

Roberts emphasized the importance of having a defined closer in Díaz, stating, “When you have a guy like Edwin Díaz as your closer, I do think it frees up other guys. … I think that’s freeing for me and allows for getting the matchups we need in the prior innings.”

As for Snell, who is not expected to pitch in the Cactus League, Roberts expressed confidence in his recovery. The manager noted, “He pushed through things to start the season healthy, which is understandable. … I think that this year, he’s going to make sure that he is ready to go. We count on him, we believe in him, and he wants to get another Cy Young.”

With a mix of established talent and emerging players, the Dodgers’ bullpen is shaping up to be a focal point as they head into the new season.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.