Dodgers Reliever Edwin Diaz Throws 28 Pitches in Latest Step Toward Return

The Los Angeles Dodgers are already the best team in baseball. But they might be about to get a major piece of their bullpen back, and that should worry the rest of the National League.

Edwin Diaz threw a bullpen session Thursday. The right-hander tossed 28 pitches with no issues, according to manager Dave Roberts, who said Diaz looked “really good.” That’s about the best news the Dodgers could get right now, considering they already hold a 12-game lead in the NL West with a 56-31 record.

Diaz hasn’t pitched since April 22. He had surgery on his elbow to clean out some impediments that were causing swelling and discomfort, which kept him from throwing at his usual velocity. For a guy who built his career on blowing hitters away with a 100-mph fastball and that devastating slider, that’s a problem.

The timeline seems to be holding up. If Diaz doesn’t hit any setbacks in the next two weeks, the Dodgers expect him to be ready to pitch shortly after the All-Star break. Think about that. A team that’s already running away with the division gets a three-time All-Star reliever back for the second half.

The numbers so far

It hasn’t been a great season for Diaz in the small sample we’ve seen. He’s pitched in seven games and has four saves, but his ERA is 10.50. That’s ugly. But it’s seven games, and he was clearly dealing with the elbow issue before the surgery. His career numbers tell a different story entirely. Over 10 seasons with the Mariners, Mets and Dodgers, he has 257 saves and a 2.91 ERA. He’s struck out 849 guys in 525.1 innings. That’s the version the Dodgers are hoping they get back.

The depth of the Dodgers pitching staff has been tested this year. Multiple guys have gone down. But Roberts has managed to keep things together because the organization just keeps producing arms. Getting Diaz back would give them another high-leverage option for October, which is really what matters for a team that’s clearly thinking about a third straight World Series title.

There’s still basically half a season left. The regular season doesn’t mean much for a team with this big a lead. But having Diaz healthy for the playoff push? That could be the difference between another parade and an early exit.