Dodgers Demote Edwin Diaz From Closer Role Amid IL Stint

The Los Angeles Dodgers remain without star closer Edwin Diaz, as the right-hander is on the injured list with a neck injury.

Diaz just came off the injured list in late July following an absence of more than three months due to elbow surgery to remove loose bodies. But upon his return, Diaz continued his struggles on the mound, leading to questions about whether he was healthy.

The right-hander was put right back into his closer role when he returned, where he blew three save opportunities. That's when he underwent testing, and the team found nothing more than some minor neck inflammation.

“It went well,” manager Dave Roberts said of the testing on his neck. “There was no findings, so that was good. The MRI was clean. It doesn’t change the fact that he had this sensation in his neck, but keep working on it, give it some rest as far as throwing a baseball.”

Roberts also said that he expected a short IL stint for the veteran closer, who threw a bullpen on Saturday, his first one since the injury.

When Diaz returns, though, it won't be in his usual ninth-inning role.

“I think it’s more of getting him back healthy and then putting him in some softer-landing situations to get the confidence, to get the feel and the trust of executing pitches, getting major-league hitters out and then at that point in time we’ll go from there,” Roberts said.

Edwin Diaz's Nightmare 2026 Season

The 2026 season has been a disaster for Diaz and the Dodgers due to injuries and poor play. Diaz has been limited to just 16 appearances, sporting a rough 11.85 ERA.

The results for the right-hander have gone against the grain, with Diaz never being this bad in his career. The Dodgers have tried to work with Diaz, but nothing has worked, leading to more frustration.

But according to Roberts, the neck injury of Diaz may have been going on for longer than he knew about.

“He had noticed it,” Roberts said. “He’d been feeling the tightness in his neck, but where it went to the other night, I think he hadn’t felt that sensation.”

Who Will Be the Dodgers Closer When Edwin Diaz Returns?

Tanner Scott is expected to be the Dodgers' closer for the immediate future. However, if Diaz can regain his form, he could very well be closing games for the Dodgers in October.

At the very least, having both Scott and Diaz for the postseason will give the Dodgers more options to work with, and the ability to choose a ninth-inning option based on matchups — or who's hotter.

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