The Dodgers are placing All-Star closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list, according to The Athletic. Early word is that it's some sort of "upper body" injury that's sending Díaz back to the IL, not his surgically-repaired elbow, via The Athletic. Díaz was on the injured list earlier this season after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow. He was placed on the IL on April 20 and came off on July 29.
The big story here is how Díaz has pitched when not on the IL. After signing a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers this past offseason, the first year of the contract has been a disaster. In all, he's posted an 11.85 ERA, 2.56 WHIP and -1.4 WAR in 16 outings. He has seven saves but four blown saves. He's had seven outings with zero runs allowed and five where he's allowed multiple runs.
If the loose bodies in his elbow could explain the early-season failures, all of that should have been cleared up once he returned from the injured list. Instead, he posted a 12.91 ERA with three saves in six chances in his nine appearances after his return. He's been worse and that's starting from a very low bar.
He worked in relief Tuesday night in Colorado and gave up three runs on four hits in his inning. He didn't strike anyone out and hit a batter. The Dodgers and Díaz must've gotten together and decided enough was enough after that one.
In a corresponding move, Emmet Sheehan is expected to be recalled from Triple-A to provide some help for the Dodgers' shaky bullpen.
What's next for Dodgers' struggling bullpen?
This wasn't supposed to be how the season worked out, as the Dodgers looked to shore up one of their few weaknesses after two consecutive World Series championships. Díaz was one of the best closers in baseball in 2025, just as he was in 2022, 2020 and 2018.
Tanner Scott (2.20 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) and Alex Vesia (2.91 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) could serve as the Dodgers' main two late-inning guys, but Evan Phillips -- who has previously closing experience with the Dodgers -- and Jack Dreyer are also options.
The bullpen isn't very deep or good right now. A few days ago, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, when asked about Díaz pitching in a key situation, admitted he had few other options.
"Give me another option. I can't just say, 'Change (Díaz) to low leverage.' I have to have other options, and to be quite honest, none of those guys really have thrown the baseball great. That's just kind of the way it is," Roberts said.
One might recall that the bullpen was a major concern down the stretch for the Dodgers late last season, but the move of Roki Sasaki to the bullpen for the playoffs, in addition to the four ace-like starting pitchers working so deep into games, helped push the Dodgers across the finish line for another title.
It seems they'll need to find a fix again this time around.
