Edwin Díaz (elbow) close to facing hitters again

Díaz is presumably getting close to heading out on a minor league rehab assignment as he works his way back from elbow surgery. The 32-year-old should be ready to return as the Dodgers closer sometime after the All-Star break, but there’s little incentive for Los Angeles to rush him back too quickly. There should be a definitive return timeline once he’s cleared to start pitching in minor league contests.

Díaz came away feeling “way better than early in the season” and was encouraged that he was able to generate swings and misses against his fastball; something he struggled to do prior to his injury. The 32-year-old believes he’ll be ready to contribute not long after the All-Star break, and despite his struggles prior to the ailment, it seems likely he’ll resume closing duties when he’s back.

Roberts also noted that the Dodgers’ closer looked “really good” during the session. He remains on track to rejoin the club’s bullpen after the All-Star break, which would shift Tanner Scott back into a setup role.

Dodgers’ skipper Dave Roberts said afterwards that the session went well and that Díaz will continue to ramp up. He’s still got a ways to go before he’s cleared to face live hitters and will ultimately require a couple of minor league rehab appearances before he’s ready to return to the Dodgers’ bullpen. He’s not expected back until after the All-Star break.

Díaz kicked off a throwing progression back in late May and will throw his first bullpen session since undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow back in late April. The 32-year-old elite closer is expected to return to the Dodgers’ bullpen at some point after next month’s All-Star break.

Díaz underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow last month and is expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star break in mid-July. There should be a clearer return timeline once he starts ramping up his throwing program. There’s zero urgency for the Dodgers to rush him back considering their bullpen has been one of the best in baseball this season, largely without Díaz, thanks to the emergence of younger arms like Kyle Hurt and Will Klein. It’ll likely be Tanner Scott continuing to handle the bulk of the save chances in his absence.

Peter reported that social media posts show Díaz and the Ortiz brothers posing for photos advertising the cockfighting tournaments. Díaz appears in his Dodgers jersey in one of the photographs, and one of the advertisements specifically says one of the tournaments is “A Tribute to the Puerto Rican Star and Cockfighter Edwin ‘Sugar’ Díaz.” There’s another story from March 10th, which shows Díaz in the middle of a cockfighting arena. While cockfighting is historic and culturally significant in Puerto Rico, a federal ban on cockfighting in all 50 states and U.S. territories took effect in 2019. Neither Díaz nor the Dodgers has commented on the report, and there is no indication right now whether the reliever, who is on the injured list after elbow surgery, will face any sort of consequences.

Roberts refused to name a set closer but did speculate that Scott might get the most save opportunities. The 31-year-old lefty has gotten off to an excellent start this season and has had success in the ninth inning at previous stops. It’s possible Alex Vesia or Blake Treinen will vulture the occasional save chance, but Scott appears in line to take over the closing role until Díaz returns from elbow surgery in the second half of the year.

It’s a significant loss for the Dodgers, and fantasy managers, with Díaz sidelined until after the All-Star break in mid-July, according to a team statement. The 32-year-old closer was diagnosed with loose bodies in his throwing elbow after experiencing diminished velocity during a relief appearance against the Rockies over the weekend and was placed on the injured list Monday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts refused to name a replacement, which means it will likely be a combination of Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia and Blake Treinen handling closing duties in his absence. Scott, who boasts a 1.04 ERA this season and has converted 78 career saves, stands out as the strongest fantasy option of the trio.

It felt inevitable that Díaz would be given some time to regroup away from the spotlight after allowing three runs without recording an out in a non-save situation against the Rockies on Sunday. The 32-year-old elite fantasy closer’s fastball velocity has been down recently and the results have been cringe-inducing to put it mildly. Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia are the logical choices to handle the ninth-inning role during his absence. There is no timetable for his return yet.