The Dodgers have an Edwin Diaz savior staring them right in the face

Sound the trumpets; it's time for another heart-racing ninth inning full of middle-middle fastballs and cement-mixing sliders. Edwin Diaz has been the exact opposite of what Los Angeles Dodgers fans expected this season, and it may have finally reached a breaking point on Thursday night.

Diaz blew his fourth save in 14 appearances against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday. The hard-throwing right-hander allowed three runs on four hits and could only muster two outs. His season ERA is up to 11.57, which is made even worse by the fact that he had a strong start to his Dodgers tenure prior to his IL stint.

Dave Roberts is at a loss for words, telling reporters there are no other ninth-inning alternatives as nobody is throwing the ball particularly well (completely ignoring Tanner Scott's recent hot streak, by the way). For a team with millions upon millions of payroll, it's a bit distressing that the Dodgers can't figure out the ninth inning.

As dystopian as the back end of the Dodgers bullpen feels, there is a savior waiting for his beck and call to save the ninth inning. And no, it's not someone who is already in the bullpen: it's the hard-throwing arm that started Thursday's game.

Roki Sasaki is the ninth-inning savior the Dodgers need

Roki Sasaki became Roberts' best weapon out of the bullpen last October and after another Diaz meltdown, it's clear that Sasaki should have the same assignment this October. That may not be what the young right-hander wants, but it's what his team needs.

Sasaki's year as a starting pitcher has been a rollercoaster. At times, he looks like a developing two-pitch pitcher who is lost in the big-league grind. In other moments, he's been the dominant split-finger pitcher who was advertised to fans when he signed.

One thing is for certain, though: Sasaki's two-pitch mix plays brilliantly out of the bullpen. He proved that last October and the numbers this year indicate he can have the same level of success throwing out of the bullpen during this year's postseason.

Opposing batters are hitting .194 with a .271 OBP the first time facing Sasaki in a game this season. Those numbers jump to .262 and .355, respectively, the second time through the order. The numbers are even better in the first inning; Sasaki carries a 2.14 first-inning ERA with an opposing .178/.259/.315 slash line.

Sure, he's had his struggles this season, but the numbers tell an overwhelming story. Sasaki has all the tools to be dominant in high-leverage situations in one-inning bursts.

Dodgers' incredible starting pitching depth may force Roki Sasaki to the bullpen anyway

When healthy, the Dodgers genuinely might have the most pitching talent a modern MLB team has ever had. Sasaki may want a shot to start in the playoffs, but if the entire staff is healthy, there's simply no room for him despite his admirable 2026 campaign.

In no particular order, the Dodgers' playoff rotation may wind up looking something like:

• Tarik Skubal
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto
• Blake Snell
• Tyler Glasnow

Teams don't need a fifth starter in the playoffs, especially if the Dodgers make quick work of their NLDS opponent and don't need to stretch it to a fifth game. And even if the Dodgers want an insurance fifth starter, the team is far better off utilizing Justin Wrobleski in that role than Sasaki.

Not only has Wrobleski been better than Sasaki this season, but he is more malleable. The Dodgers can save him for a fifth game, if needed, but also deploy him out of the bullpen in a stretch capacity if needed. Sasaki is better off being used as a dedicated high-leverage bullpen arm.

This doesn't even factor in Shohei Ohtani, who has been shut down on the mound but could still be a weapon for Dave Roberts to deploy in October. That pushes Sasaki even further down the starting-pitcher totem pole, making it even more apparent that he should live in the bullpen in October.

For now, Sasaki should continue in the Dodgers' starting rotation as the rest of the arms around him get healthy. But as those arms start to return to action, don't be surprised if Roberts starts pre-emptively using Sasaki out of the bullpen to get him ready for his October role.

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