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The Dodgers introduced that right-hander Edwin Díaz has been positioned on the 15-day injured listing with proper elbow unfastened our bodies. A subsequent announcement mentioned that he could have surgical procedure to deal with the problem and is predicted to return within the second half of the season. Reportedly, he’ll miss about three months, which is able to put him in line for a return someday across the All-Star break. Left-hander Jake Eder has been recalled to take Díaz’s spot on the lively roster.
The standing of Díaz has been a little bit of a thriller for some time now, as he has struggled for the Dodgers whereas pitching with diminished velocity. His fastball has averaged 95.7 miles per hour to this point this 12 months, a notable drop from his 97.2 mph common final 12 months. His outcomes have been wonderful by means of 5 outings however his sixth, on April tenth, was tough. He entered a 7-4 recreation within the ninth and surrendered three runs, permitting the Rangers to tie it up.
The Dodgers have been in a position to stroll that recreation off within the backside of the ninth however Díaz grew to become a query mark. He didn’t pitch in official recreation motion for over every week after that, though the Dodgers had some save conditions. He was lastly again on the mound final evening however the outcomes have been once more poor. He entered within the backside of the eighth at Coors Area, with the Dodgers down 6-4. He confronted 4 batters, permitting three hits and a stroll, then was eliminated with out recording an out.
On the one hand, it’s good to have a prognosis that explains his struggles, however any elbow concern for a pitcher goes to be worrisome. Shedding him for 3 months goes to be a blow. He has been among the finest closers in latest historical past and was simply signed to an enormous contract within the offseason. The Dodgers gave him a three-year, $69MM deal to scoop him away from the Mets.
The Dodgers have received the previous two World Sequence however their 2025 title got here regardless of a shaky bullpen. Supervisor Dave Roberts relied increasingly more on his starters because the postseason went alongside and the Dodgers simply barely held on, as they nearly misplaced to the Jays on just a few events, going into additional innings in Recreation Seven.
The Díaz signing was alleged to patch over one of many membership’s few weak spots as they search for a three-peat. Although Díaz isn’t fairly as ridiculously dominant as he was just a few years in the past, he nonetheless had a fantastic 2025 season, tossing 66 1/3 innings with a 1.63 earned run common 38% strikeout fee, 8% stroll fee and 48.4% floor ball fee.
The Dodgers typically strategy accidents with a protracted view. Their crew is robust sufficient that they will really feel fairly good about their probabilities of making the postseason. They’ll have their gamers, significantly the pitchers, take their time to make sure they’re wholesome for the postseason. Given the three-month timeline, they will take that strategy with Díaz. Ideally, he shall be again in time to shake off some rust down the stretch and be in peak type for October.
Time will inform how that goes. If Díaz experiences any form of setback or struggles to get in type as soon as he’s wholesome, it may doubtlessly affect how the Dodgers strategy the commerce deadline, which is on August third this 12 months.
For now, they should proceed with out their huge offseason bullpen funding. Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen may very well be candidates for choosing up some save alternatives now. Scott is again in good type to this point this 12 months after a tough 2025. Vesia has picked up just a few scattered saves through the years and has began 2026 with ten scoreless appearances. Treinen has previous closing expertise however isn’t out to a fantastic begin this 12 months, with a 4.05 ERA so far.
Alden González of ESPN reported that he would bear surgical procedure and be out about three months. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic first reported that some form of process would happen. Jack Harris of the California Put up first reported that the Dodgers would count on him to be again from that process throughout this season. Photograph courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Pictures
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