Dodgers' Edwin Diaz Responds to Dodgers' Decision to Remove Him as Closer

Edwin Diaz has put together a nightmare season for the Dodgers.

Aug 7, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Edwin Diaz against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Los Angeles Dodgers star closer Edwin Diaz is currently on the injured list with a neck injury, his second stint on the IL this season.

But unlike last time, when Diaz returns, he won't be the team's closer. Diaz has struggled heavily this season when on the mound, posting a 11.85 ERA in just 16 appearances.

Thus, manager Dave Roberts said he'll return in lower-leverage spots for now.

Ahead of his return, Diaz opened up about the decision by the Dodgers to demote him.

“I’m good with the decision because I know I haven’t done my job,” Diaz said. “If I’d done my job, I’d be pitching in the ninth inning.”

“I know the pitcher I am,” he added. “I know when I’m good, I can do really good things. I’m working to come back on in that form.”

Diaz missed more than three months earlier in the year after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. His numbers weren't very good before the surgery, and they've been even worse since coming back.

The Dodgers will hope for the best when Diaz returns, which could be as soon as next week. But when he does return, it'll be a new reality for the veteran closer to navigate.

However, at the end of the day, he's confident in his abilities.

“That’s why they signed me here," Diaz said. "To be the closer."

Who Replaces Edwin Diaz as the Dodgers Closer?

With Diaz struggling and injured, the Dodgers have turned to left-hander Tanner Scott.

“When he’s right, his [fastball] is 96-98 [mph], and there is a really good slider in there,” Roberts said. “I think Tanner’s superpower is that he doesn’t really let things affect his emotions. You could argue that he could have been the closer; should have been the closer. Nothing affects him once he steps on the field.

"Right now, it’s easy to say he’s our best reliever and most consistent reliever, and I certainly see him as our closer.”

Scott, like Diaz, saw real trouble in his first season with the Dodgers last year. But the lefty has put together a bounce-back season, becoming the reliable presence the Dodgers believed they got when signing him to a four-year, $72 million deal ahead of the 2025 season.

Overall, Scott has recorded a 2.24 ERA over 56 appearances this season. He has put up 19 saves in 21 opportunities.

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