Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Edwin Diaz’s rehabilitation assignment as the $69 million reliever works his way back from elbow surgery.
Diaz, one of two marquee Dodgers signings, has not pitched since April after he went through surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow.
As a closer, he had four saves and one blown save in his seven games. He put up a 10.50 ERA, notably allowing three runs in each of his last two starts, along with seven total hits, two walks, and just two strikeouts.
At first, his struggles were chalked up to nothing health-related, though Diaz took nine days in between his April 10 appearance against the Rangers and an April 19 outing against the Colorado Rockies.
Eventually, the Dodgers shut down Diaz for good and announced he was getting surgery on his elbow. He went through the procedure at the end of April, and a three-month timeline was initially provided, keeping him out until after the All-Star break.
Months later, Diaz is pitching again, although not with the major league team yet. Diaz has made one outing down in Ontario for the Tower Buzzers, where he struck out two hitters, allowing a hit, and had a scoreless inning.
His mechanics and delivery looked sharp, and by all accounts, he feels good, though he is still weeks away from joining the team.
Pitching coach Mark Prior said that Diaz was three to four weeks away after “throwing pretty effortlessly.”
What Dave Roberts said about Edwin Diaz’s recovery
Roberts, on the other hand, stated that the Dodgers are still monitoring his progress and will need to see more from him beyond one appearance.
“I think the arm feels good, but there’s also a command of getting major-league hitters out,” Roberts said.
“We’re going to make sure that he’s ready to go before we put him at the back end of a major-league game. I think that’s fair, not only to him, but to our ballclub.”
Diaz is down in Arizona, pitching in the Arizona Complex League, while another rehab appearance in Ontario is on the cards as well.
“He’s got to be healthy and throwing the baseball the right way,” Roberts added on Diaz. “Health is one thing, but also as a closer you’ve got to perform well.”
If he keeps pitching as he did on Saturday in Ontario, Diaz should be on the fast track to the closer spot soon, and likely at his former elite self.
