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The Los Angeles Dodgers, winners of back-to-back World Series titles, find themselves mired in an unexpected slump after the Arizona Diamondbacks struck late Friday night in Phoenix. Ryan Waldschmidt, a rookie, connected on a two-run, walk-off home run off Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz to secure a 4-3 victory and extend Los Angeles’ losing streak to seven games—the worst mark of their season.
Diaz’s performance continues to disappoint following his offseason signing of a $69 million, three-year contract. The 32-year-old All-Star, who has posted an 11.00 ERA across 11 appearances, acknowledged his mistake on the pivotal pitch. “The fastball was great today, but I missed the slider right in the middle,” Diaz said, adding that he needs to execute better at the big league level.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed frustration over the loss but stopped short of replacing Diaz in the closer role, citing a lack of viable alternatives on the roster. “Honestly, you’ve got to look at the options,” Roberts explained. “The way some of these guys are throwing, they’re not throwing great, either.”
Despite the recent struggles—a 10-16 record since July 5—the Dodgers maintain a 7½-game lead in the National League West over the Diamondbacks. Los Angeles entered Friday having been swept by both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.
The club’s roster still features substantial star talent, including Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker. Additionally, the Dodgers added ace left-hander Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, while two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is expected to return from injury on Tuesday.
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