Dodgers' Edwin Diaz Announces Exciting Injury Update, Reveals Return Timeline

Los Angeles Dodgers star closer Edwin Diaz underwent surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow on April 22, and has been sidelined ever since.

Diaz was originally given a timeline of three months to return from the surgery, and it seems that he's right on track to do just that.

Diaz recently spoke to David Vassegh of AM570 and provided an exciting update on his recovery, detailing when he could be back.

"Doing great," Diaz said. "I threw my first bullpen on Friday, it was really good, over my expectations. It was way easier than I expected doing it, so I'm really happy I'm going in the right direction, and I can't wait to complete my rehab and be back with the team."

Diaz said he hopes to return after the All-Star break, which is exactly what's been expected all along. He also said he hopes to begin a rehab assignment before the All-Star break begins.

"My first bullpen was great," he said. "I feel healthy, I keep playing catch every single day, you know, my routine. Now just keep throwing bullpens, throw a couple live and go to rehab assignment, and hopefully after the break be back."

"My father gives me a lot of advice. He watches every game."

Edwin Diaz chats with @THEREAL_DV ahead of the #Dodgers Father's Day matchup vs. Orioles. pic.twitter.com/RpfgdGSNTB
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) June 21, 2026

Diaz was expected to be a key contributor to the Dodgers' bullpen this season, but the injury derailed those plans fairly early in the year. The veteran was only able to make seven appearances for Los Angeles, putting up a 10.50 ERA.

The Dodgers figured something was wrong with Diaz, even with the closer staying adamant that he was healthy. Eventually, he was shut down, and the surgery took place to repair the issue.

The velocity from Diaz's fastball was the first sign that something was wrong earlier this season. Diaz, normally a hard-throwing reliever, saw his velocity drop to as low as 92.8 mph.

Diaz has already started to ramp up his velocity, though, which is an encouraging sign for both him and the Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts said Diaz touched 91-93 mph in his bullpen session.

The Dodgers signed Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract this offseason for him to be the team's shutdown closer, especially in the postseason.

While the Dodgers didn't have him for a majority of the season, they'll hope he's back and better than ever for the second half and a potential deep postseason run.

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