Edwin Diaz hasn’t been as sharp in his most recent outings as expected, and a recent report has surfaced pointing to growing concern within the Los Angeles Dodgers about him, specifically regarding a noticeable drop in the velocity and overall power of his pitches.
The report from Pat Ragazzo for Sports Illustrated stated: “In Diaz’s latest appearance, the hard-throwing righty gave up three runs and averaged 95.5 mph on his four-seam fastball. For context, Diaz’s four-seamer averaged 97.2 mph last season with the Mets. It’s averaging just 95.8 mph this season.”
Although the Dodgers have not indicated whether this dip in velocity could put his closer role in jeopardy, it is already raising concern internally given how heavily they expect to rely on him in key upcoming games in April.
Diaz’s season
In his first MLB season with Los Angeles, Díaz has appeared in six games, throwing 6.0 innings with a 6.00 ERA. Those aren’t strong numbers, but it has been a relatively quick adjustment period after spending a long stretch with the New York Mets.
Experience remains the key factor for the Dodgers, but they also know they may need to lean on other arms when Díaz is not at his best. That’s where Tanner Scott comes in, stepping in as the primary closing option when needed.
When will Diaz return to the mound?
There is no clear timeline for a full turnaround, although he has not been placed on the injured list. He is currently listed as day-to-day and has continued to throw. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Díaz has also said he is not dealing with any serious injury or physical issue.
