The Los Angeles Dodgers put Edwin Diaz on the Injured list, according to reporter Katie Woo of The Athletic, after he has failed to make much of an impression since his return from elbow surgery.
Per Woo, the injury is believed to involve his upper body, though the team has not yet decided how to classify it.
Edwin’s posture has looked off in recent outings, something he has brought up as a possible factor in his struggles.
Time in the minors or time to heal his upper body could help him return to the mound with better posture.
Diaz started off the year solid for the Dodgers in his first handful of appearances, but things went sideways in two appearances, leading to him being diagnosed with loose bodies in his elbow and opting to get surgery.
Since it was only in late April, Diaz would get every chance to return before the Dodgers’ eventual postseason run, and he ended up returning after three months on the dot.
He worked his way up with mostly impressive rehab appearances, but since coming back, things have not looked good for the Dodgers’ closer.
Diaz returned on July 29 against the Seattle Mariners, earning the save but allowing one run on two hits.
He followed that up with a clean, one-hit-allowed appearance the following outing.
However, things would get ugly after that. Diaz had a 15.88 ERA in August, with three blown saves and one nearly-blown save against the Milwaukee Brewers on August 14th.
His final appearance before hitting the injured list was on August 17th against the Colorado Rockies.
The Dodgers were up 11-2 in the ninth inning and trotted him out to build confidence, but he ended up allowing three runs after giving up four hits and a hit-by-pitch.
Eventually, he got the win, but his appearance did not inspire much confidence in a closer who has historically been lights-out.
Who can step up for the Dodgers in the closer role?
The Dodgers will need Tanner Scott to stay reliable out of the bullpen, and he will likely assume closing duties for now.
Additionally, Edgardo Henriquez is in line for a leverage promotion, while Alex Vesia remains a trustworthy arm for the team.
Diaz’s removal from the equation also opens a role for Seth Halvorsen.