Dodgers Beat Mets 2-1, Diaz Sidelined by Knee Concerns

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Mets 2-1 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, moving one victory away from sweeping the three-game series against Diaz's former team, though new closer Edwin Diaz remained sidelined amid ongoing concerns about his right knee and fastball velocity.

Diaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers in December after six seasons with the Mets, has not pitched since blowing a save against the Texas Rangers last Friday. In that outing, the 32-year-old right-hander allowed three runs on four hits, with his four-seam fastball averaging just 95.5 mph, down from 97.2 mph in 2025. The Dodgers rested him for the next two games against the Rangers, opting for other relievers in save situations, as manager Dave Roberts emphasized a cautious approach early in the season.

Roberts attributed the velocity drop to a recurring pattern since Diaz tore his patellar tendon in his right knee during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, which sidelined him for the entire year. "Two miles an hour, that's pretty significant," Roberts said after Sunday's loss to the Rangers. "We wanted to have him down Saturday and kind of see what we get." Diaz...