Although the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to wait for Will Smith to start making progress in his recovery from a neck injury, the likes of Edwin Díaz, Kiké Hernández and Blake Snell are each working toward a return to the roster.
Díaz and Hernández are both further along when compared to Snell, and it’s plausible they both are back with the Dodgers by the end of July.
Dodgers injury updates
Edwin Díaz
Díaz made a second appearance on his rehab assignment Friday night and pitched a scoreless inning for Single-A Ontario. He threw just 13 pitches (nine strikes) and struck out two batters. Both of Díaz’s rehab games thus far have come with the Tower Buzzers.
His next appearance is expected to be on Sunday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the right-hander will need to pitch on back-to-back days prior to getting activated off the 60-day injured list.
Kiké Hernández
Despite suffering what the Dodgers deemed a significant left oblique strain at the time, Hernández started his rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday and is hoping to return when the team begins their homestand on July 28.
Hernández went 1-for-3 with a double and played five innings at third base in the Comets’ loss to the Tacoma Rainiers (Seattle Mariners affiliate).
“Honestly, he looks normal,” Roberts said earlier this month. “It’s really, I don’t want to say miraculous, but I’m really in disbelief how well he’s responded, given the injury. … Swinging, throwing, everything. There’s no compensation or feeling it. Certainly a quick healer. He’s working hard to get back.”
Given that Hernández is going to be in the midst of his rehab assignment, he’s among the players who won’t be with the Dodgers when they visit the White House on July 23.
Blake Snell
Snell is scheduled to start for the Comets on Saturday in his first game of a rehab assignment. The expectation is for the left-hander to complete two innings.
Snell began the 2026 season on the injured list due to left shoulder fatigue and made just one start before being sidelined once again. But in that instance it was because of loose bodies in his left elbow that ultimately required surgery.
Snell’s elbow surgery consisted of using the same NanoNeedle Scope 2.0 that Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal had for his operation, but was a longer procedure and entailed the removal of multiple loose bodies. Skubal’s surgery lasted just 30 minutes and only one loose body was taken out.
That, along with the Dodgers’ overarching cautious approach with players, has resulted in Snell’s timeline differing from Skubal’s.
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