PHILADELPHIA –– Edwin Díaz might be getting his New York homecoming after all.
Out since April following a surgical procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new $69 million closer has almost reached the finish line in his three-month-long recovery process, putting him in play to potentially return in time for the team’s trip to Queens next weekend to face his old team, the New York Mets.
“There is a chance,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Monday.
Since beginning a rehab assignment on July 11, Díaz has made four scoreless outings with the Dodgers’ single-A and rookie-ball affiliates, striking out seven total batters while allowing no hits and only one walk.
The next, and possibly last, box for him to check is pitching on back-to-back days, something Roberts said Díaz is scheduled to do this coming Wednesday and Thursday.
If that goes well, it could allow the closer to be activated during next weekend’s series at Citi Field, which will be the Dodgers’ only trip there this season.
Díaz is sure to receive an animated reaction if he pitches against the Mets. While he became a fan favorite with the club during a seven-season stint from 2019-2025 –– which included two All-Star appearances, a 2.93 ERA and 144 total saves –– he also left the team as a free agent this offseason to sign his three-year deal with the Dodgers.
At the start of this season, Mets owner Steve Cohen described Díaz’s decision to leave New York as “perplexing,” even though the Mets’ offer to him was reportedly for slightly less money than he got from the Dodgers (who rewarded the right-hander with a record annual salary total for a relief pitcher).
Díaz has only spoken highly of his time with the Mets since his departure this past winter. In the end, he said his decision to sign in L.A. came down to “looking to win.”
To this point, he hasn’t been able to help much, posting a 10.50 ERA in seven outings while dealing with his elbow injury.
But now, he’s almost back –– perhaps in time to return to his old stomping grounds.
