Edwin Diaz’s struggles with the Dodgers hit another snag Tuesday when the team placed him on the injured list with inflammation on the right side of his neck.
It’s another setback in what’s been a rough first season in Los Angeles for the closer, who’s been trying to rediscover the dominant form that once made him one of baseball’s most feared relievers.
Diaz returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday and he’s expected to undergo imaging to determine how serious the injury is.
“It’s kind of something that he felt [Monday] night,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We don’t know if it’s something that has been there, call it a week or whatever, but it kind of showed its head last night. So we’re going to kind of address it.”
The timing raises questions about whether this neck issue has been contributing to Diaz’s recent struggles.
Let’s put it this way: the numbers aren’t pretty. Diaz is 2-2 with an 11.85 ERA and seven saves in 11 opportunities across 16 appearances this season.
What makes it even more concerning is how he’s looked since returning from an elbow injury that kept him out from April 20 through July 29. Diaz had a procedure to remove loose bodies from the elbow, but he’s posted a 15.88 ERA with three blown saves in seven appearances since coming back.
Monday’s outing provided another warning sign.
Diaz entered the ninth inning with Los Angeles holding a comfortable 11-2 lead but allowed three runs and four hits before the Dodgers managed to finish off the victory. That’s not the kind of performance you expect from your closer, even in a blowout.
Roberts acknowledged there could be a physical explanation for why Diaz’s pitches haven’t been producing their usual results.
“[We] know that there could be a reason why the stuff is not playing like it has in the past,” Roberts said.
Now the Dodgers need to figure out whether Diaz simply needs time to recover or if this neck inflammation is part of a larger issue that’s been affecting his performance.
On a brighter note, the team received some encouraging news Tuesday: Shohei Ohtani threw approximately 35 pitches in a bullpen session as he progresses toward his return to the mound.
But for a Dodgers bullpen that’s counting on Diaz to close out games, the immediate concern is getting their struggling closer healthy — and hopefully getting back the dominant version of Diaz they thought they were getting when they signed him.
