The Los Angeles Dodgers placed closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list following a rough stretch of appearances on the mound, per Katie Woo of The Athletic. In a corresponding move, they recalled right-handed starter Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Diaz, a three-time All-Star who the Dodgers signed to a massive $69 million deal—the largest ever for a reliever in terms of annual average value—during the offseason, hasn't lived up to the hype this season, struggling as a Dodger over the course of the season.
He began the year well enough, holding opponents to just one earned run through his first five appearances, but an elbow injury in April derailed his strong start. In his final two appearances before landing on the injured list towards the beginning of the season, Diaz allowed six runs through one inning pitched, allowing seven hits and issuing two walks. The right-hander underwent surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in April, and didn't return to the mound until late July.
Per Woo, Diaz's newest injury is in relation to his upper body—not his surgically repaired elbow. Since his return, the former All-Star has left plenty to be desired. He earned a save in his first appearance back despite allowing a run in the ninth inning, and has a 15.88 ERA in August—allowing 10 runs through just 5.2 innings of work.
He allowed three runs in two of his last three appearances, with the most recent one coming against the Colorado Rockies on Monday. "I know I’m struggling, so I want to do the best thing for our team. If they give me the ball in the ninth, I’ll try to do my job.
If they give me the ball in another inning, I will try to do my job. I just gotta be better, be consistent.” Diaz, despite his struggles, still served as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' go-to closer, so LA will have to find a new leverage arm with Diaz's move to the injured list. Luckily for them, the Dodgers have heavily invested in their bullpen after their injury-riddled 2024 and 2025 seasons, so they have plenty of options.
Tanner Scott is one of those options, as the left-hander has bounced back in incredible fashion following one of the worst seasons of his career in 2025. Scott has a 2.20 ERA on the year, and even stepped into the closer role during Diaz's last stint on the injured list. The southpaw has 62 strikeouts in 49 innings pitched while converting 12 of his 16 save opportunities on the year.
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