Edwin Díaz is in the midst of a rehab assignment as he works his way back to the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen after undergoing right elbow surgery.
Manager Dave Roberts initially did not rule out the 32-year-old potentially being activated off the 60-day injured list for the team’s upcoming three-game series with the New York Mets, but that no longer is the case. Díaz is scheduled to complete a back-to-back with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Thursday and will then make another appearance.
“He’ll be down for two days, and then I think as I sit here today, that he’s going to throw one last day for that OKC team,” Roberts said on SportsNet LA.
That would put Díaz on track to join the Dodgers perhaps as soon as Tuesday, when they start a six-game homestand. But it will result in Díaz again not facing his former teammates.
Díaz pitched in parts of six seasons for the Mets prior to signing a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers last December.
The right-hander joining L.A. drew criticism from Mets owner and CEO Steve Cohen, who called the decision “perplexing.”
Díaz previously explained what led him to the Dodgers and why he was content with continuing his career on the West Coast.
“It’s a market I was in. I was a free agent, so I got the chance to talk with everyone,” Díaz said in Spring Training. “I think the Dodgers did a great job recruiting me. At the end of the day, I chose to be here.”
Díaz did not face the Mets when they played at Dodger Stadium in April because of a right knee issue. He landed on the injured list less than a week later because of the right elbow trouble that ultimately required surgery to remove bone spurs.
Edwin Díaz’s rehab assignment
Díaz made a fifth appearance on his rehab assignment Wednesday afternoon and struck out the first two batters faced before giving up a base hit. Paul Gervase allowed the inherited runner to score, which was charged to Díaz.
Three of Díaz’s rehab games thus far have come with Single-A Ontario, and he’s now made one each for the Dodgers’ Rookie-level affiliate in Arizona and the Comets.
Since beginning his rehab assignment, Díaz has thrown 5.2 innings while allowing only one run and striking out nine against one walk.
Díaz struggled to the tune of a 10.50 ERA, 4.94 FIP and 2.33 WHIP with four saves in six innings across seven appearances for the Dodgers prior to undergoing right elbow surgery.
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