Dodgers face early gut check, as they lose closer and division lead
By Dylan Hernandez
Published on April 22, 2026.
The Dodgers have lost their National League West lead and potentially their division lead after losing their closer, Edwin Diaz, a day after the team's 3-1 defeat to the Giants. The Dodgers are now tied with the San Diego Padres, who did not make significant additions in the offseason. The team's manager, Dave Roberts, downplayed the possibility of another setback, stating that the team is still playing good baseball and that it's more of a reset to focus on winning games. However, a couple of blown saves over the next few days could potentially lead the Dodgers to disaster. Despite the loss of Diaz, starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto showed his ability to overcome the loss.
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