The Los Angeles Dodgers put a relief pitcher on the 15-day injured list before the start of their series against the New York Mets, but in a mild surprise, it was not Edwin Díaz.
Instead, Ben Casparius landed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation and the Dodgers recalled Kyle Hurt from Triple-A Oklahoma City. Díaz, meanwhile, seemingly came out of some uncertainty over the weekend in strong position.
What was wrong with Edwin Díaz?
The three-time All-Star was deemed available to face his former team as soon as Monday night if the situation arose.
“Talked to Edwin briefly a little bit ago, feels great. Which is a good thing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before first pitch.
“I think now it goes to me having a conversation with the training staff. He’s wanting to pitch, says he’s available. I think now it’s just me consulting with the training staff and figuring out what’s the best case. Just watching him with my eyes, having him play catch and talking to him, I feel very confident that he’s in a good spot.”
The Dodgers didn’t end up needing Díaz, who hasn’t pitched since April 10, when he threw 23 pitches and blew a save against the Texas Rangers. That appearance wound up leading to questions about his health, in part because of Díaz being unavailable after expressing he didn’t feel 100% and there was a decline in fastball velocity.
“That was it, and then just kind of saying he doesn’t feel right. Talking about some of the things before, the track record, knee and all that stuff, I’d like to think is behind us,” Roberts said. “That was more the genesis behind it.”
The Dodgers did not send Díaz for an MRI or any other imaging, but he received treatment and underwent manual testing with the training staff to rule out a potential injury.
“I would say a huge part of it is based on the calendar,” Roberts explained of the Dodgers’ cautious handling of Díaz. “It’s all based on the calendar. Obviously his health is paramount, but I do think us just being even more conservative is certainly that.”
Roberts had previously alluded to this being the three-time Reliever of the Year’s first season with the Dodgers amounting to a learning experience for all parties involved.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
