Dodgers' Edwin Diaz to Undergo Elbow Surgery

Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star closer Edwin Díaz is set to undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow. The surgery will be done on Wednesday at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic, per an announcement from the Dodgers.

The Dodgers placed Díaz on the injured list on Monday ahead of their series finale against the Colorado Rockies. Now, he's set to miss significant time in his first of three years with the Dodgers after signing a three-season, $69 million this offseason.

How Long Will Edwin Diaz Be Out for Dodgers?

The Dodgers announced Díaz is "expected to return during the second half of the season."

The Dodgers announced Edwin Díaz will have surgery on Wednesday to remove the loose bodies from his elbow.

The Dodgers expect him to return "during the second half of the season." pic.twitter.com/3iuGK32PXd
— Dodgers On SI (@DodgersOnSI) April 20, 2026

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reports Díaz is expected to miss "in the neighborhood of three months."

Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz is slated to undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his right elbow, according to a source. The expectation is he’ll miss somewhere in the neighborhood of three months. @FabianArdaya was first on the procedure.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 20, 2026

Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports said the "typical timeline to return" from arthroscopic surgery to remove the loose bodies in his elbow is 2-3 months.

Edwin Diaz will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove the loose bodies in his elbow with the typical timeline to return being 2-3 months. https://t.co/G1vFHUrtjo
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 20, 2026

Edwin Diaz's Struggles Finally Have Answer

When the Dodgers signed Díaz for $69 million this offseason, they expected to be getting a shutdown closer.

The Dodgers won last year's World Series in spite of their bullpen, leaning on their starting pitchers to carry them through the postseason.

This offseason, the Dodgers shored up their biggest issue, poaching Díaz from the New York Mets. Early in his Dodgers tenure, though, he wasn't giving LA what they signed up for.

Díaz allowed one run over his first five appearances, earning four saves in the process. Then, in his sixth appearance against the Texas Rangers, he blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning,

Díaz then didn't pitch for eight days, missing a revenge series against the Mets. Finally, he got into Sunday night's game against the Colorado Rockies, allowing three hits and a walk without recording an out. He ended up being charged with three earned runs, ballooning his ERA to 10.50.

Díaz and the Dodgers had maintained the three-time All-Star was healthy, despite a drop in his velocity numbers. After Sunday's game, though, manager Dave Roberts admitted he was concerned.

"I know what it’s supposed to look like, and then when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning," Roberts said after Sunday's game. "The radar gun has been consistent and his velocity has been consistent, and it wasn’t there today. So I got to know more.”

How Will the Dodgers Replace Edwin Diaz in Bullpen?

The good news for the Dodgers is they've finally figured out what the problem is with Díaz. Moreover, he isn't expected to miss the rest of the season, and should be back in plenty of time for the postseason.

The bad news is the Dodgers now have a clear hole in their bullpen, one they tried to fix this offseason. Tanner Scott, who didn't live up to his four-year, $72 million contract last offseason, will need to step up. Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia will take on more high-leverage innings, too.

The team will then rely on left-hander Jack Dreyer and right-handers Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez in bigger spots moving forward.

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