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The Dodgers dropped the series opener against Milwaukee on Thursday night after Edwin Díaz surrendered the lead in the 9th inning, as reported by the LA Times and DodgerBlue.com. The Brewers rallied to stun the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in a game with significant NL seeding implications — the Dodgers, Brewers, and Braves all entered the day within one game of each other for the top seed in the National League.

Díaz’s latest meltdown is becoming a pattern that’s impossible to ignore. Dave Roberts had expressed hope that the right-hander had turned a corner since returning from injury, but this blown save tells a different story. Díaz, who the Dodgers brought in to shore up the back end of the bullpen, was once one of the most dominant closers in baseball during his time with the Mets — his 2022 season (32 saves, 1.31 ERA, 118 strikeouts in 62 innings) was historically elite. But he’s been a different pitcher since undergoing knee surgery, and the Dodgers are now paying the price for banking on a return to form. When your closer can’t hold a lead in August against a team you’re fighting for positioning with, that’s a problem that doesn’t fix itself quietly.

This loss stings beyond just the box score. The Brewers came into Dodger Stadium and took the opener of a four-game set that could help determine home-field advantage in October. Milwaukee has been one of the best teams in the National League all season, and they showed exactly why — they didn’t fold when they were down late, and they took advantage of a closer who is clearly not right. The Dodgers had this game in hand and let it slip.

The bigger question now is what Roberts and the front office do about the 9th inning going forward. Blake Treinen is working his way back and making progress toward a rehab assignment, which could eventually provide some relief. But “eventually” doesn’t help when you’re losing games like this right now. The Dodgers have arms in that bullpen who can get outs in the 9th — whether Roberts is willing to move away from Díaz before being forced to is the real test. I’ve been patient with the Díaz experiment, but we’re running out of runway here. Three more games against Milwaukee this series, and the margin between the top NL seeds is razor-thin. The Dodgers can’t afford to keep handing games away in the final inning. This is August. These games count double in the standings conversation, and our closer just handed one to the team we’re chasing.

Source(s): Staff (LA Times) | Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | Staff (MLB.com) | First reported: August 14, 2026 5:29 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers