The Dodgers have the best record in baseball at 61-35. But the bullpen has been shaky at times. That could change soon.
Edwin Diaz made his first rehab appearance for Single-A Ontario on Saturday. He threw 11 pitches, gave up a single and struck out two batters in one inning of work. The number that caught everyone’s attention was the velocity: 98 mph.
That is a big deal because earlier this season he couldn’t get there. He was trying to throw hard but something was off. It turned out he had five bone chips floating around in his elbow.
“I think my velo will keep improving,” Diaz told reporters after the game, via Nelson Espinal of Dodgers Nation. “I feel good right now. Before I think I had a little bit of a problem trying to throw hard because I had five bone chips in my elbow. I’m cleaned up now and I threw 98. I could not have thrown 98 earlier in the season so I’m going in the right direction.”
A rough start to his Dodgers tenure
Diaz signed a three-year deal with Los Angeles over the winter. He made seven appearances before the elbow issue forced him to the IL. The numbers were brutal: a 10.50 ERA, a 2.33 WHIP and only four saves while blowing multiple leads. He struck out just ten batters in 6.0 innings.
It was obvious he wasn’t healthy. The Dodgers sent him for surgery to remove the loose bodies. Now he is on track to rejoin the big-league bullpen shortly after the All-Star break.
The timing matters. Blake Snell is also coming back to the rotation soon. Landon Knack just returned from the IL. The Dodgers are trying to hold off the Diamondbacks and Giants in a tight NL West race, and they just lost two straight in Arizona heading into Sunday’s game.
If Diaz can get back to being even close to the guy who struck out 118 batters in 62 innings for the Mets in 2022, that changes the late-inning math for Dave Roberts. The team has not said exactly when Diaz will return. But 98 mph in a rehab start is a pretty good sign he’s getting close.
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