The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without Edwin Díaz for the foreseeable future as he is set to undergo surgery to address the loose bodies in his right elbow that forced him onto the 15-day injured list.
Díaz will have the procedure on Wednesday at Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic and is expected to miss around three months.
The Dodgers now figure to rely on Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Alex Vesia in save opportunities for the time being. Roki Sasaki previously thrived as the team’s closer, but general manager Brandon Gomes said he will remain in the starting rotation, via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
Brandon Gomes had an (expected) one-word answer to the suggestion that Roki Sasaki could shift back to the bullpen with Edwin Díaz's injury:
"No."
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 20, 2026
Sasaki gave up just one run in 10.2 innings as a reliever during the 2025 postseason, but the Dodgers remain fully committed to his development as a starting pitcher and don’t want to throw him off course with a temporary move back to the bullpen.
L.A. is also confident that their current group of relief pitchers will be able to handle the ninth inning until Díaz returns at some point in the second half of the season.
The right-hander pitched to a 10.50 ERA, 4.96 FIP and 2.33 WHIP to go along with four saves in five opportunities this season. His average fastball velocity has been down all year, which was attributed in part to a right knee issue that surfaced following his first blown save of the season.
Roki Sasaki vows to keep working
Sasaki turned in another inconsistent start in the Dodgers’ 9-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday as he allowed three runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings pitched.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently challenged Sasaki to complete at least five innings in his starts, and the 24-year-old knows he has to keep working on his craft if he wants to achieve his goals.
“I’m trying to make adjustments all the time,” Sasaki said on SportsNet LA through interpreter Kensuke Okudo. “In the long run, I have to do the things I need to work on.”
Sasaki owns a 6.11 ERA, 6.36 FIP and 1.87 WHIP across 17.2 innings in four starts this season.
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