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Diekman struck out the only batter he faced to earn the save in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Cubs.
The ninth inning was far more dramatic than usual for a team protecting a three-run lead. Edwin Diaz was ejected after failing an inspection for sticky substances before he threw a pitch, and Drew Smith got two outs before putting Dansby Swanson aboard with a single. Diekman came into the game and closed it out by fanning Patrick Wisdom on three pitches. Pitching as a part-time setup man, Diekman has a 3.80 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 29:18 K:BB with three saves, six holds and two blown saves over 23.2 innings this year. With Diaz facing a 10-game suspension, it'll likely be Reed Garrett and Adam Ottavino picking up most of the save chances in the near term, though Diekman and Smith could also be in the mix depending on the situation as manager Carlos Mendoza will likely turn to a committee approach.
