Edwin Díaz is back in the Dodgers’ bullpen, but the ninth inning is no longer waiting for him. Los Angeles activated the veteran right-hander before Friday’s series opener against the Giants at Dodger Stadium, giving him the final nine regular-season games to show he can be trusted for October.
A return with a roster decision attached
Díaz had been on the 15-day injured list since Aug. 18 because of neck inflammation, his second IL stay of an uneven first season in Los Angeles. The Dodgers sent right-hander Landon Knack to Triple-A Oklahoma City in the corresponding roster move.
The club signed Díaz on Dec. 12 to a three-year, $69 million deal, expecting the three-time All-Star to handle closing duties well beyond this season. Instead, injuries and command issues have turned the closing assignment into a question mark as the postseason approaches.
- Díaz allowed seven earned runs over six innings in his first seven appearances.
- He struck out 10 and walked five during that opening stretch.
- Loose bodies in his right elbow then sent him to surgery and the injured list.
- After returning July 29, he blew three saves in nine appearances and posted a 12.91 ERA across 7 2/3 innings.
- In that second run, he recorded nine strikeouts, issued five walks and hit two batters.
No immediate path back to the ninth
Manager Dave Roberts made clear that Díaz will be judged on the quality of his pitching, not on a designated job title. The Dodgers are expected to use him in lower-leverage situations rather than immediately restore him as closer.
“He just needs to pitch well,” Roberts said. “The role is beside the point for me. We want to see him throw the baseball the way he is capable of throwing it.”
Roberts estimated that three or four appearances should provide a sufficient sample before the regular season ends. With only nine games left, every outing will carry some weight in determining whether Díaz earns a postseason bullpen spot.
Command remains the central test
Díaz’s rehabilitation work at Oklahoma City did not offer much reassurance on the surface. Health was the foremost concern coming off the neck issue, but his control was again troublesome: he walked seven and hit one batter in 4 1/3 innings over five appearances. He also generated few swings and misses.
That leaves the Dodgers looking for a simpler finish from one of the game’s most accomplished relievers. Díaz has won Reliever of the Year honors three times, and his track record gives him a chance to become a major October piece if his stuff and command return together.
Dodgers can use the final week as an audition
Los Angeles has already secured its 13th National League West championship in the last 14 seasons, while still chasing a first-round bye. That cushion gives Roberts and the coaching staff room to sort through bullpen options without asking Díaz to immediately carry late-inning pressure.
- The Dodgers can deploy Díaz in controlled, lower-stakes spots.
- His remaining appearances will serve as a practical evaluation for the postseason roster.
- A return to form could give Los Angeles another high-impact arm as it pursues a third straight World Series title.
For now, Díaz is not returning as the closer he was signed to be. He is returning as a talented reliever with a short runway, a fresh chance and several October decisions still in front of him.
