Dave Roberts said on July 29, 2026 that Edwin Diaz's return to the bullpen for the Los Angeles Dodgers was a positive moment for the team.
"Getting our bullpen back to being whole, closer to being whole, was great, and just again, getting him back on the team was exciting," Roberts said during the press conference.
Roberts noted that Diaz's stuff looked sharp in the outing, though he allowed a run. "The velocity of the stuff was really good. Obviously, he gave up a run," he said. Roberts added that Diaz touched 99 mph and threw a good slider against Josh Naylor, stating no one expected him to be immediately lights-out but calling the pain-free performance a positive sign.
Roberts also praised Eric Lauer, crediting his preparedness and the length he has provided the team, and noted that Lauer has historically pitched well against the Dodgers before joining the club. He described Lauer as erratic early in his outing against Cal Raleigh, with runners on base, before a mound visit from Dalton Rushing settled him down. "I love the way that Dalton went out there and kind of settled him down," Roberts said. He added that Lauer became lights-out afterward, mixing speeds and locations well against a fastball-hunting lineup.
Roberts also mentioned a big home run from Andy to start the game against Emerson Hancock, calling Hancock a tough pitcher having a good year. On lineup decisions, Roberts explained that moving a player in the batting order is based on what is best for the team as the Dodgers get closer to the playoffs, rather than individual performance alone.
Roberts also recalled hearing the entrance trumpets as part of what made Diaz's return feel notable, closing the availability on a night that saw both the bullpen reinforcement and Lauer's recovery on the mound stand out.