Edwin Díaz's outing against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday didn't go well, leaving some doubt in the mind of manager Dave Roberts about his closer.
"Today was a tough evaluation," Roberts said after Díaz allowed three earned runs on 13 pitches during a 9-6 loss, according to Dylan Hernandez of the California Post.
"I mean, it really was. Because I know what it's supposed to look like, and when it doesn't look like that, it gets a little concerning, really."
Sunday's appearance was Díaz's first in nine days, after a noticeable dip in the reliever's velocity prompted the Dodgers to look further into the issue.
Although Díaz had been experiencing weakness in his surgically repaired knee, he said he felt good prior to pitching against the Rockies.
The right-hander touched 97 mph on Sunday, but his fastball at one point dipped as low as 92.8 mph. While Roberts pointed to Díaz not pitching in nine days as a potential reason for rust, the manager also said he'd speak with his closer to ensure everything was OK.
"I gotta know more," Roberts said.
Díaz, who sports a 10.50 ERA and 2.33 WHIP, signed a three-year, $69-million deal with the Dodgers in the offseason.
