Dodgers Face Bullpen Trouble as Closer Díaz Struggles
The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a serious bullpen problem, and reports are trying to explain what may have caused it.
A bullpen refers to the group of relief pitchers who take over in the later innings of a baseball game. Lately, the Dodgers' bullpen has struggled badly.
Closer Edwin Díaz has been at the center of the trouble. A closer is the pitcher used to finish games and protect a lead. Díaz has had a difficult stretch recently.
After his latest meltdown, a term used when a pitcher or team suddenly loses control of a game, manager Dave Roberts was asked whether he would make a change.
Roberts confirmed he plans to stick with Díaz as the closer, meaning he will not remove him from the role despite the recent problems.
Díaz is reportedly working on his mechanics, the physical technique a pitcher uses when throwing, in hopes of fixing whatever has gone wrong.
The bullpen troubles come at a difficult time, since the Dodgers are the defending champions, having won the title the previous season.
Teams often experience a chaotic stretch, a period when things feel disorganized or unpredictable, and the Dodgers appear to be going through exactly that with their relief pitching right now.
It remains unclear exactly what has caused the decline, but the team and coaching staff are clearly focused on solving it before it affects their chances later in the season.
Vocabulary10 words
- bullpen
- the group of pitchers who play late in a game
- closer
- the pitcher who finishes a game to protect a win
- meltdown
- a sudden, bad collapse in performance
- stick with
- to continue using someone or something without changing
- mechanics
- the physical technique used to do a skilled action
- champions
- the winners of the biggest competition
- chaotic
- very disorganized and hard to control
- stretch
- a period of time
- role
- a specific job or position someone has
- decline
- getting worse over time
Quiz
Answer key
1. A bullpen problem 2. To keep him as closer 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing a serious _____ problem, and reports are trying to explain what may have caused it.
Closer Edwin Díaz has been at the center of the trouble. Díaz has had a difficult _____ recently.
After his latest _____, manager Dave Roberts was asked whether he would make a change.
Roberts confirmed he plans to _____ Díaz as the closer, meaning he will not remove him from the role.
Díaz is reportedly working on his _____, the physical technique a pitcher uses when throwing.
The bullpen troubles come at a difficult time, since the Dodgers are the defending _____.
Teams often experience a _____ stretch, a period when things feel disorganized or unpredictable.
It remains unclear exactly what has caused the _____, but the team is focused on solving it.
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