Dodgers Place Edwin Díaz On Injured List, Schedule Elbow Surgery Wednesday

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday to remove loose bodies in his right elbow, the team announced, and the club expects him to return “during the second half of the season.”

“Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz to undergo elbow surgery, return timeline puts him out through All-Star break Díaz, who has a 10”

CBS Sports

ESPN reported that the expectation is Díaz could sit out around three months, citing a source speaking to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, while the Dodgers placed Díaz, 32, on the 15-day injured list before the team’s series finale with the Colorado Rockies on Monday.

CBS Sports

The injury diagnosis followed Díaz’s Sunday outing at Coors Field, where he gave up three runs without recording an out in a 9-6 loss to the Rockies, prompting manager Dave Roberts to say, “Obviously, we all saw the stuff last night, and it set up red flags.”

Roberts added that after the game, Díaz “had a conversation with our training staff, and felt that he had some elbow discomfort,” and the Dodgers “just wanted to be proactive, and felt that it was smart to get him an MRI.”

The imaging showed loose bodies, and Roberts said no ligament damage was seen in Diaz’s imaging, with the injury limited to the loose bodies.

The surgery will take place at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles, and the Dodgers recalled left-hander Jake Eder from Triple-A Oklahoma City in a corresponding move.

Multiple reports tied the Dodgers’ decision to a specific sequence of events beginning with Díaz’s performance at Coors Field and culminating in Monday’s imaging.

MLB reported that Roberts “didn’t realize the full extent of what was wrong with the picture until Díaz underwent an MRI Monday,” after Roberts said he “knew he didn’t like what he saw” in Sunday’s 9-6 loss to the Rockies.

ESPN

In that same account, Roberts said, “After the game, he had a conversation with our training staff and felt that he had some elbow discomfort,” and the Dodgers decided to “get an MRI, get imaging, which we did do.”

The imaging “showed loose bodies,” and MLB said “it just kind of came to a head last night,” with the club scheduling surgery and “expect[ing] a second-half return.”

USA Today similarly described the timing as a postgame evaluation, quoting Roberts: “Today was a tough evaluation,” and adding that Roberts said, “I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”

Across the reports, the common thread was that Díaz’s elbow discomfort surfaced after Sunday’s outing, and Roberts emphasized that “Loose bodies are asymptomatic until they're not,” while New York Post reported that imaging found “no other ligament damage.”

With Díaz headed for surgery and the Dodgers expecting him back in the second half, the team immediately shifted how it planned to use its bullpen.

“Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz will undergo surgery on his pitching elbow Wednesday and is expected to be sidelined until the second half of the season”

Field Level Media

ESPN said Roberts told reporters that the Dodgers probably would use a “committee approach in the ninth inning,” while also saying, “So, right now, I'm not going to name a closer.”

MLB likewise reported that Roberts “was reluctant to speculate on a timetable for his return,” and that “no obvious heir apparent” existed, with Roberts saying, “I feel comfortable with a handful of guys that I feel that can close out games for us,” and “Right now, I'm not going to name a closer.”

The Orange County Register quoted Gomes saying, “Obviously any time you lose somebody that talented, it’s going to hurt,” while also emphasizing depth: “But the good thing is that we have a deep and talented pitching staff.”

In the same local report, Gomes said, “The elbow popping up was definitely surprising,” and Roberts reiterated that “So right now, I’m not gonna name a closer,” framing the change as a usage adjustment rather than a single replacement.

The Mirror US added that the Dodgers’ approach would be “closer-by-committee,” and it pointed to “Alex Vesia, Tanner Scott and Blake Trienen” as the bullpen names expected to step up.

While the Dodgers avoided naming a single replacement closer, multiple outlets identified specific relievers as candidates to handle save chances and late-inning roles.

ESPN reported that the Dodgers recalled Jake Eder and described Díaz’s season performance, but it also quoted Roberts about having “a handful of guys” who could close out games, without naming a closer.

Los Angeles Times

Sports Illustrated went further in mapping the closer role after Díaz’s injury, noting that Roberts “reportedly declined to name a replacement closer for Díaz,” and it discussed in-house options including LHP Tanner Scott, LHP Alex Vesia, and RHP Blake Treinen.

Sports Illustrated said Scott was “last season's high-priced free agent addition to the bullpen” on a “four-year, $72 million deal,” and it cited Scott’s 2026 start as “a 1.04 ERA and eight strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings.”

It also said Vesia was the only Dodgers reliever other than Díaz to record a save this year so far, with “two,” and it described Vesia’s run prevention as “yet to surrender an earned run in 8 2/3 innings” while posting “10 strikeouts compared to just three walks.”

For Treinen, Sports Illustrated said he has “82 career saves” and described his current form as “a 4.05 ERA in 6 2/3 innings,” while also noting he is “the most experienced closer in the Dodgers' pen besides Díaz.”

The Díaz injury reshaped the Dodgers’ near-term planning not only for late innings but also for the broader bullpen picture as reinforcements were expected to return from other injuries.

“DENVER -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts knew he didn’t like what he saw from closer Edwin Díaz in Sunday’s 9-6 loss to the Rockies, but he didn’t realize the full extent of what was wrong with the picture until Díaz underwent an MRI Monday”

MLB

MLB reported that “Reinforcements will be coming soon,” naming “right-handers Brock Stewart expected to return from the IL in mid-May and Brusdar Graterol expected at a later date still to be determined.”

MLB

The Orange County Register similarly described additional bullpen depth, saying “Right-hander Brock Stewart (shoulder) has made two appearances with Class-A Ontario on his rehab assignment” and that he “is expected to make at least a handful more before he would be an option to come off the IL.”

It also said “Right-hander Evan Phillips (Tommy John surgery) is not as far along in his recovery” and that he “is not expected back until the second half of the season,” while calling Graterol “more of a wild card” and quoting Gomes that “Velocity has been back up to ‘Bazooka’ levels.”

Sports Illustrated added that the Dodgers’ closer role question extended beyond internal options, stating that “Could 2025 postseason closer Rōki Sasaki return to the bullpen? The short answer is no,” and it quoted Dodgers pitching coordinator Brandon Gomes saying Sasaki “would not be doing so.”

In the immediate aftermath, the Dodgers’ management approach emphasized patience and readiness, with New York Post quoting general manager Brandon Gomes saying, “Our understanding is that it’s a pretty straightforward procedure,” and “So we’re going to take our time with getting him back, and be mindful of the buildup.”