Edwin Díaz is heading back to the injured list — this time with neck inflammation — in what is already his second stint on the shelf in 2026. The Athletic’s Katie Woo broke the news; manager Dave Roberts confirmed it shortly after. With six weeks until the postseason and the bullpen sitting at 6-10 in August, the timing couldn’t be worse.
From Elbow Surgery to Neck Trouble: The Season That Never Got Going
Díaz arrived at Dodger Stadium this past winter on a three-year, $69 million deal — the most expensive closer contract in franchise history. His 2026 never really found its footing. The first IL stint came April 20 for surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, keeping him out for nearly 100 days.
He returned July 29 with expectations still high. What followed was rougher than the injury itself. In 7.2 innings since coming back, Díaz allowed 11 runs for a 12.91 ERA over that stretch. He’s blown four saves on the season and surrendered nine runs across his last six appearances. On Monday, August 17, with the Dodgers comfortably ahead of the Rockies 11-2, he gave up three runs and four hits in the ninth. The next day came the diagnosis: neck inflammation, a 15-day IL trip, and a flight to Los Angeles for further evaluation. The team believes he can return before the end of the regular season, though no timeline is guaranteed.
Tanner Scott Takes the Ninth, but the Bullpen Remains the Real Question
The corresponding roster move is the recall of Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A Oklahoma City. But the real question is who closes meaningful games — and the Dodgers already had their answer before Díaz even came back: Tanner Scott, who carries a 2.20 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in 2026, allowing less than one baserunner per inning on average, is the natural fit to reclaim the ninth.
The issue runs deeper than a name in a role. Los Angeles is 6-10 in August. Their eight-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the NL West is comfortable enough to avoid a full-blown panic, but the bullpen has been the team’s most visible crack this month. Six weeks from the postseason, how they manage the closer situation is the question nobody at Dodger Stadium wants to answer just yet.
What the Numbers Actually Say About Díaz
Díaz’s 2026 line looks worse than his underlying stuff suggests — Statcast says he’s been unlucky on top of being inconsistent. Here’s where he stands across 16 games and 13.2 innings:
- ERA: 11.85 · WHIP: 2.56
- 19 strikeouts vs. 10 walks (24.1% strikeout rate)
- 7 saves
- xERA: 6.34 — what he’d deserve based on contact quality allowed
- Average fastball: 96.3 mph with 2,325 rpm of spin
- Whiff rate: 22.3% of swings miss
- Opponents batting .385 against him
- Average exit velocity allowed: 92.5 mph
- Barrel rate allowed: 8.7%
- Fastball velocity: 80th percentile in MLB
The arm is still elite — 80th percentile in fastball velocity, 96.3 mph average. His xERA of 6.34 says he deserves better than an 11.85 ERA, but 6.34 isn’t a World Series closer number either. Díaz has the stuff. What he hasn’t had, at least so far in 2026, is the health to use it.
