The Los Angeles Dodgers have officially activated Edwin Diaz from the injured list and optioned reliever Landon Knack back down to the minor leagues.
Diaz has been rehabilitating down in Triple-A with the Oklahoma City Comets as he tries to recover from neck inflammation.
In 4.1 innings of work during his latest assignment, he has a 12.46 ERA.
With the season winding down for the Comets and Diaz still needing to pitch and prove that he can get outs, the Dodgers are giving him a shot on the major league roster.
Manager Dave Roberts has made it clear that Diaz needs to show tangible results in the regular season to get any standing in the bullpen trust tree.
“We have to go with our best pitchers, as far as performance, talent, all that stuff,” Roberts said.
“So my bet is that he will be (on the roster). But again, there’s got to be some kind of evidence or something for us, again, to sort of bet on. And so my bet is yes, but we still got to see something.”
Why the Dodgers still believe in Edwin Diaz
Roberts and the coaching staff have lauded the reliever, who joined on a three-year, $69 million deal, for doing his best work through the mechanical kinks of his delivery.
Diaz is trying to improve his arm angle, which has dropped this season, along with his posture during his release.
The coaching staff and Diaz think these adjustments can help him regain some form.
“He needs to pitch better. I think the world of him. The baseball card looks great,” Roberts explained.
“But it’s like, where we’re at, there’s got to be something for us to be able to hang our hat on. And he knows that. He knows that. He wants to pitch well.”
As soon as Friday, Diaz will get the opportunity to do just that, and at least for his prospects this year, it will likely be his last chance.
One Response
Dodgers should have signed Mason Miller.