Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz took another step towards an MLB return on Wednesday, making his first rehab appearance in Triple-A.
Diaz began his rehab assignment July 11, making an appearance for Single-A Ontario and throwing a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. He made three more appearances, two in Single-A and the other in the Arizona Complex League, before taking the next step towards Triple-A.
He threw 0.2 innings against the Sacramento River Cats, allowing an earned run on one hit while striking out two batters. Katie Woo of The Athletic reports he will make one more rehab appearance over the weekend for the Comets, and could return to the team for their next home stand following a nine-game trip to the East Coast.
The Dodgers return home after their next series, a three-game set against the Mets, to face off against the Seattle Mariners on July 28. If Diaz returns to the team then, he will be a big boost to an already strong Dodgers bullpen.
What Was Edwin Diaz’s Injury?
Diaz went down with loose bodies in his throwing elbow in April, and underwent surgery shortly after. Diaz didn’t get the same surgery as Blake Snell or Tarik Skubal, who had a shortened recovery due to the nature of their procedure, so he needed several months to get up to speed.
How Did Edwin Diaz Perform Prior to His Injury?
Diaz, who the Dodgers signed on a three-year, $69 million deal during the offseason, started the year well for LA, living up to the lofty reputation he made for himself in New York. He only allowed one run through his first five appearances, posting a 1.80 ERA with four saves during that stretch.
In his two most recent appearances, though, Diaz Struggled. He allowed three runs in an inning against the Texas Rangers, blowing a save, and allowed three more against the Colorado Rockies nine games later to raise his ERA to 10.50.
When fully healthy, though, Diaz is a force to be reckoned with, and has already shown glimpses of his best self with the Dodgers. LA will hope he can return to his form from the beginning of the season as they aim to be the first NL team to three-peat.
