Dodgers Lose 3x All-Star Closer Edwin Diaz Through Elbow Injury

Edwin Diaz was placed on the 15-day injured list by the Los Angeles Dodgers after reports revealed him having problem in his right elbow.

Dodgers Lose 3x All-Star Closer Edwin Diaz Through Elbow Injury

Edwin Diaz (Image via X/@BRWalkoff)

Edwin Diaz is heading to the injured list. The Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday announced that the 3-time All-Star will be undergoing surgery on his elbow on Wednesday and miss the remainder of the first half of the 2026 season.

The right-handed pitcher was one of the biggest purchases of the Dodgers in the offseason. Following back-to-back World Series wins, the Los Angeles-based side was exploring options to improve its bullpen despite signing Tanner Scott on a 4-year, $72 million deal before the start of the season.

In the offseason, Diaz became a free agent after opting out of his deal with the New York Mets. The National League East side had a season to forget as they went on to miss the playoffs on the final day and finished with an 83-79 record.

The Mets did offer him a 3-year, $66 million deal while trying to re-sign him. However, he picked the Dodgers’ 3-year, $69 million offer and joined them instead.

The 32-year-old was living up to his expectations. He had picked up 4 saves and struck out 10 batters so far. On Sunday, though, he seemed to be struggling against the Colorado Rockies.

In the 9-6 loss on Sunday, the pitcher gave up 3 runs and failed to record an out. His velocity had also decreased a bit, which raised concern among those connected with the Dodgers.

Manager Dave Roberts admitted that his performance on Sunday raised some “red flags.” An MRI scan on Monday revealed him having some discomfort in his elbow.

Before the series finale against the Rockies, the Dodgers revealed that he would go under the knife to remove loose bodies from his elbows at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles. While the team has placed him on the 15-day injured list, they expect him to come back around the second half of the season.

The reigning World Series champions called up Jake Eder from Triple-A to replace him. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals earlier this month.

Dodgers GM drops blunt response in suggestion to Roki Sasaki going back to bullpen after Edwin Diaz’s injury

The Los Angeles Dodgers lost one of their big pieces from the bullpen on Monday in the form of Edwin Diaz. Following this, team general manager Brandon Gomes dropped a blunt response to the suggestion of Roki Sasaki being put in the bullpen again.

Edwin Diaz and Roki Sasaki
Edwin Diaz and Roki Sasaki (X/@SleeperDodgers)

Sasaki was a highly sought name in the 2024 offseason. In the end, the Dodgers won the race for the young Japanese pitcher.

However, things did not go as planned for him. The 24-year-old struggled a bit and then got injured. After his injury, the pitcher had some difficulties on the mound while opening the games.

The team would then put him in the bullpen and make him a reliever. This development worked out well for him and the Dodgers, as he posted a 0.89 ERA across 9 appearances and picked up 3 saves.

This year, the pitcher returned to his starting role. Once again, he has struggled in this, going 0-2 in his 4 starts with a 6.11 ERA. With Diaz injured, the team can put him back in the bullpen, a move that worked well last time.

Gomes, though, has no such plan. When asked whether he would do this, the Dodgers GM dropped a one-word answer in “No.” The Dodgers are not willing to give up on him as a starting pitcher yet.

The NL West side is now on the road to take on their rivals, the San Francisco Giants, in a 3-game set. At the moment, they have the best record in the league at 16-6 following a 12-3 victory over the Rockies on Monday.

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