The second pitch Edwin Díaz threw Thursday night sailed above the strike zone, at about eye-height on Milwaukee’s William Contreras. It was an early indicator that the Dodgers closer was about to have a brutal ninth inning.
By the end of his third blown save in four appearances, even Díaz wasn’t sure what his role would be going forward.
“Now I’ve just got to see what they want to do,” he said after the Dodgers’ 5-4 loss to the Brewers. “I want to do the best thing for the team. At the end of the day, if they give me the ball in the ninth I will try to do my job. If they give me the ball in another inning, I will try to do my job. Got to get better, be consistent.”
Manager Dave Roberts, however, as he looked at the state of his bullpen, wasn’t ready to take the closer title from Díaz.
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“Give me another option,” Roberts said. “To be quite honest, none of those guys really are throwing the baseball great. So that’s just kind of the way it is.”
The series opener between the Dodgers and Brewers, two of the top teams in the National League, saw Roki Sasaki give up just two runs over six innings despite battling command issues. It included a record-setting go-ahead home run from Max Muncy, No. 131 at Dodger Stadium, breaking a tie with Eric Karros for the most all-time at Chavez Ravine.
Then Díaz, who has been working through an evolving set of issues since returning from the injured list (arthroscopic elbow surgery) a couple weeks ago, took over with a two-run lead. And the game went sideways.
The Dodgers (73-49) fell two games back of the Brewers (75-47) and half a game behind the Braves (73-48).
“A loss is a loss, but there’s certain losses that are more costly,” Roberts said. “And when you use five relievers and you lose a game, that’s costly.”
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Dodgers pitcher Edwin Díaz reacts after giving up the tying run in the ninth inning against the Brewers on Thursday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Though Díaz’s command issues flared early, he struck out Contreras to begin the inning. Then he gave up four consecutive singles.
“I think my fastball command today — I was throwing strikes, but right in the middle,” Díaz said. “Every big league hitter can hit it right in the middle, [even if you] throw 200 miles an hour. I’ve got to get better at that.”
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Milwaukee’s Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton both hit center-cut fastballs to put runners on the corners for the top of the order.
Then Jackson Chourio’s and Garrett Mitchell’s RBI singles — to cut the Dodgers lead to one run and to tie the score, respectively — came on sliders. That was the pitch Díaz struggled to get a feel for in Arizona last weekend.
“I think it was better today,” he said. “I think I made good ones. When you miss your fastball in the middle, they see better pitches.”
Díaz then struck out right-handed hitting Gary Sánchez on three pitches, but Roberts had seen enough. He turned to left-hander Alex Vesia.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Vesia got Jake Bauers to hit a ground ball to the right side of the field, but it found a hole to drive in the go-ahead run. And the Dodgers offense didn’t counter in the bottom of the ninth.
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“It’s frustrating because I know my ability,” said Díaz, who has an 11.57 ERA since joining the Dodgers last offseason on a three-year, $69-million deal. “I know what I can do on the mound. To not be able to do it sucks. I’ve just got to come tomorrow and try to keep getting better.”
The Dodgers’ bullpen situation has flipped dramatically since his return from injury. Less than three weeks ago, Roberts said his high-leverage relievers made up “as big a trust tree as we’ve had in quite some time.”
When pressed Thursday on why he planned to stick with Díaz in save situations, Roberts’ tone had changed.
“Who’s the other option?” Roberts said. “You look back at the last week, and guys have struggled. … Everyone’s got a role, they all have jobs to do, and they all have to do their job. That’s it.”
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One factor has been health. Brock Stewart (right shoulder discomfort) and Will Klein (right elbow loose bodies) have been placed on the IL since Roberts’ “trust tree” comments.
Then there’s the issue of performance.
Scott (2.25 ERA, 16 saves), who served as the closer in Díaz’ three-month absence, has been dealing with inconsistent velocity. But he has three straight holds. On Thursday, he faced only Christian Yelich, who hit a long fly ball into the left-field corner, but Kiké Hernández made the catch before running into the wall.
Vesia surrendered two runs in ⅔ of an inning against the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 4, but he had held opponents hitless with three walks over three appearances before facing Milwaukee.
Evan Phillips seemed to have righted the ship after a rocky return from the IL, but he gave up two earned runs in ⅓ of an inning Tuesday.
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What about taking a closer-by-committee approach?
“We’ve got to get other guys on track to even have that be even a valid conversation, to be honest with you,” Roberts said.
So, Díaz will continue working to regain his effectiveness on the mound, without changing roles.
“He’s got to find his way,” Roberts said. “And he’s got to have a runway to find his way. But then it gets to a point where — I’m not there yet, but … I’m betting on the fact that the stuff will kind of right, and he’ll figure it out.”
The Indiana State Sycamores visit the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. ET from Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN.
Purdue opens its season at home against Indiana State, an FCS opponent already 0-1 after a 21-23 loss to Southeast Missouri State in Week 0. The Boilermakers have won their last two meetings with the Sycamores by a combined 105-0, including a 49-0 result in 2024. Purdue is a 36.5-point favorite at DraftKings, with the total set at 56.5.
Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.
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How to Watch Indiana State vs. Purdue
Players to Watch
Owens already has a real body of work to point to, even after just one game. He threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns in Indiana State’s season opener, numbers that immediately made him the most productive quarterback the Sycamores have had in some time. Purdue enters off a 2-10 season of its own, and coach Barry Odom’s group has not beaten a Big Ten opponent since November 2023. That does not make Indiana State a threat to pull the upset, but Owens playing a clean, mistake-free game against an FBS defense would be a real building block for a program looking to prove last week’s opener was not a fluke.
Indiana State’s offense found more than one weapon in its opener, and Wuest was part of that. He caught passes for 67 yards, added 36 yards on kick returns and finished with 103 all-purpose yards, giving the Sycamores a legitimate playmaker on both sides of the ball through one week. Purdue’s defense gave up plenty a year ago during a 2-10 season, and while a Missouri Valley Conference team walking into Ross-Ade Stadium is still a significant step up in competition, Wuest’s early versatility at least gives Indiana State a specific answer for how it plans to move the ball.
Purdue is trying to climb out of the Big Ten cellar, and Browne is the returning piece the program is building around. He threw for 300 yards or more twice a year ago, including a 30 of 50, 302 yard effort against a top 25 ranked Illinois team, proof that his arm can handle high volume against real competition. Coach Barry Odom’s Boilermakers have not beaten a Big Ten opponent since a November 2023 win over Indiana, of all teams, which will feel especially strange now that the Hoosiers are the reigning national champions. An opener against an FCS opponent in Indiana State is exactly the kind of low-risk environment where Browne needs to look sharp before Purdue’s Big Ten grind begins.
Indiana State vs. Purdue Odds
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Mission Viejo High’s offensive line did not want to be on the field against St. Paul on Friday night. This was evident by their first two plays.
The Diablos’ opening drive began with a 60-yard rushing touchdown, created by a massive gap on the left side of the offensive line. Senior running back Carson Vandermade wasn’t close to being touched by a defender on his way to the end zone.
A 60-yard passing touchdown immediately ensued on the next possession. Of course, the offensive line made sure sophomore quarterback Brett Burnor had more than enough protection to launch one deep to a wide receiver
Coach Chad Johnson knows the level of skill he has on his hands. He’s never had a more talented and cohesive line in his two-plus decades of coaching high school football.
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“It’s abnormal for us to have a line like this, and I’m really enjoying it,” Johnson said after Mission Viejo’s 77-12 victory.
The reason for that rarity is a simple one: every single starting lineman this season is a returning player. Nobody lost to graduation. No transfers. Johnson said he doesn’t recall that ever being the case.
Mission Viejo High offensive linemen (starting second from left) Tyler Johnson, Dylan Felli and Noah Lee in their custom-made jerseys they put on after the Diablos built a huge lead against St. Paul and they were pulled from the game.
(Caleb Otte / For The Times)
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In addition, four of the five starting lineman have NCAA Division I offers.
Senior left tackle Dylan Felli has offers from the University of San Diego and Montana. The guy who helped him create the first touchdown of the game, senior left guard Amaziah Siale, is committed to Louisiana State. Center Max Davidson, who is a junior, has an offer from Northern Arizona, and senior right tackle Tyler Johnson is committed to Cornell.
If the experience and college offers aren’t enough to prove their stature, their size should. Davidson and Felli are listed at 6 feet 4. Siale is 6-7 inches tall and weighs 345 pounds, while Johnson is 6-6 and nearly 300 pounds.
They wouldn’t look out of place lining up across from USC or UCLA. Standing near them is staggering. Trying to out muscle them is nearly impossible.
Johnson said that his team finally has a threatening run game because of the gaps the linemen create.
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“Usually we have to throw the ball to get [opponents] to back off, and then we can run it,” he said. “This year, we’re gonna run the ball until they commit everybody and then we’ll throw it.”
There are two other linemen who also play key roles: senior right guard Noah Lee and senior Baxter Middagh.
Lee is the smallest guy in the group. At 5-10, he looks out of place standing next to the big boys. Once he is on the field, however, the size difference is forgotten.
At 295 pounds, with a low center of gravity, Lee can’t be moved. It’s why he has earned his starting position over the last two seasons despite competing with potential DI players. He might not have any offers, but he doesn’t drag the rest of the group down. In fact, he’s often the leading voice on the sideline.
As for Middagh, his role is adding a new wrinkle to the offensive scheme this season. Last year he was playing on the line. Against St. Paul, he was deployed at tight end. His blocking expertise and size — 6-6 and 295 pounds — allow him to still help in pass and run protection, but now his impact can be felt with the ball in his hands.
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Case in point, Middagh scored a touchdown on a screen pass Friday. He was surprisingly fast, making it even harder to tackle him. Opponents will struggle if Mission Viejo can get Middagh, who is committed to Idaho, into open space.
Johnson said he might rotate who plays on the line based on what a possession needs, but that their best 11 includes Middagh on the field.
“He is super athletic and can catch the ball really well,” Johnson said. “The catches he makes are insane, some one-handed, and he runs a 5.3 [second] 40-yard dash at 300 pounds.”
Off the field, the mountainous young men turn into humble and funny teenagers. After being taken out at halftime, all six players cheered on the backups and joked with each other about everything and nothing.
At one point, Middagh’s family came down to the sideline and he went over to hug everybody and chat. There was no embarrassment by their presence near his teammates and friends, just an appreciation for those who love and support him.
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Siale also sheepishly waved to his family in the stands, getting a slight grin on his face when they yelled back down to him. Late in the fourth quarter, the public-address announcer credited Siale with a block on a big run play even though the big man hadn’t touched the field all half. He just laughed and high-fived some teammates who were offering sarcastic congratulations.
Despite their talent, cohesiveness and positive personalities, Johnson said that his offensive line isn’t perfect. In Mission Viejo’s 55-17 win against Chaparral in the season opener, they made some silly penalties for unnecessary roughness after the play ended, which negated big gains. Johnson wants that cleaned up moving forward.
“You don’t play up to a good team and down to a team that is not as good. You stay consistently great,” he said.
His team obliged. Whenever the offensive line gives the quarterback time to pass and the running backs space to run, there isn’t much complaining a coach can do.
“I’m going to try to take it all in and soak every game up, because I know at some time the curtain is going to call and they’re going to graduate,” he said.
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Two guys standing on Mission Viejo’s sideline were wearing custom made shirts of the offensive line. It was a picture of them all standing together, with the words “Higher Council” printed below. The message is clear.
Siale succinctly said what everybody else was dancing around.
“We’ve got the number one offensive line in the nation,” he said.
That claim will be put to the test against one of California’s best teams next week, when Mission Viejo travels to Sacramento to play Folsom High. Northern California will meet the Higher Council.
With the 2026 MLB season now entering the home stretch, both Cy Young races are taking shape.
Let’s check out the odds for this season’s winners at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Sept. 3.
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AL Cy Young Winner
Cam Schlittler: -215 (bet $10 to win $14.65 total) Dylan Cease: +190 (bet $10 to win $29 total) Drew Rasmussen: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total) Sonny Gray: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
What to know: When the season began, Detroit’s Tarik Skubal was favored to win a third straight Cy Young. That’s how dominant he’s been. However, he was forced to have surgery to remove loose bodies in his throwing elbow, was sidelined for months, and has now been traded to the Dodgers. The Yankees’ young star, Cam Schlittler, owns a 2.04 ERA (second), 210 strikeouts (fourth) and a 0.94 WHIP (fourth) this season, and remains the favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award. His only competition at this point is Toronto’s Dylan Cease, who has won his last three starts and has the second-most strikeouts in baseball (221).
NL Cy Young Winner
Jacob Misiorowski: -600 (bet $10 to win $11.67 total) Chris Sale: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total) Cristopher Sanchez: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total) Yoshinobu Yamamoto: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
What to know: The NL Cy Young race looks a lot different than it looked a few months ago. Entering June, Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sanchez was atop the board (+145), followed by Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski (+340), Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes (+450) and the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani (+750). Now, while “The Miz” has only become more dominant and Sale has continued to find success, Skenes and Ohtani have fallen off the map. The more shocking fall-off belongs to Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner who entered 2026 as the favorite to repeat is now not even on the oddsboard. He began the season 6-3, but then lost his next nine starts. He has a 3.97 ERA, a far cry from the 1.97 ERA he had last season and the 1.96 ERA he registered as a rookie. His 8.0 WAR from last season has dropped all the way to 2.4 this season. As for Ohtani, he’s been dealing with a bothersome knee and has not taken the mound since July 3. Going back to Misiorowski, he’s quickly become the best pitcher in the NL and possibly in baseball. He leads MLB in ERA (1.97), strikeouts (227) and WHIP (0.97). It is his race to lose at this point.
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