Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz has been out for more than a month after undergoing elbow surgery; however, the star reliever is looking to get back on the field soon.
Diaz was found to have an elbow injury — loose bodies in his elbow — after a period of struggles out of the bullpen.
The Dodgers paid Diaz $69 million to seal the closer spot, keeping him on board as the main high-leverage arm who can preserve leads and, during the postseason, support the starting rotation.
The Dodgers had a bad bullpen in 2025, making a player like Diaz all the more important to add, and after a strong couple of initial outings, the righty had two really bad starts, coughing up two leads.
The Dodgers chose to have Diaz undergo surgery for his loose bodies, hoping to get his velocity back to his usual levels.
The recovery is usually two to three months, putting him down for a return around the All-Star break.
With a long timeline still ahead, manager Dave Roberts clarified that he is still a way’s away, but he has gone through back-to-back pitching sessions and appearances and is responding well.
“I think Edwin is certainly ahead of Blake, obviously, and so he is playing catch,” Roberts said of Diaz. “He’s gone back-to-back a couple different times, stretching it out.
“So I would assume that once he stretches it out more, then there’ll be the flat ground, and then at some point in time, he’ll get on the mound. But he’s progressing really nicely, all positive with Edwin.”
Diaz’s similar road to Snell
Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell suffered a similar health issue, with loose bodies in his elbow. Snell only went through surgery two weeks ago, but he is throwing again because of a new procedure that keeps him off the recovery timeline for a month.
He is looking to return sooner than Diaz did, though Snell and Diaz can provide the Dodgers with important information on both methods of handling loose bodies to help them figure out the best approach later on.
