Nearly one month into the recovery after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, Edwin Díaz was implicated in cockfighting activities in his native Puerto Rico.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have not commented on the report and neither had Díaz until Sunday. After facing batters for the first time since having elbow surgery, Díaz said he did not participate in any illegal activity and MLB did not contact him regarding the matter.
“I’ve been doing that before,” Díaz said. “Like the story said, that’s legal in Puerto Rico. But now, I’m concentrating on helping this team to win. I’m concentrating to be back ready as soon as possible. So I’m not thinking much on that. That’s a past story.
“So for me, my mindset is to be back as soon as possible.”
Díaz further elaborated he presumed MLB had not reached out because “I wasn’t doing anything illegal.”
Cockfighting has been federally banned in Puerto Rico and all U.S. territories since 2019. Before the law was enacted, cockfighting had been made illegal in all 50 states, but not U.S. territories.
Government officials in Puerto Rico immediately challenged the law under the notion of it being a tradition on the island that spans multiple centuries.
Puerto Rico went on to pass their own law permitting cockfights so long as people don’t export or import the animals, or any goods or services related to the blood sport. The United States Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to the federal law brought by a group that accused Congress of exceeding their power by including Puerto Rico in the cockfighting ban.
Thus, a person found guilty of participating in cockfighting faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Spectators can receive a one-year prison sentence.
What’s next for Edwin Díaz
Díaz is expected to begin a rehab assignment in the next week or so and remains hopeful of returning shortly after the All-Star break. He noted already having a much better feeling on the mound than earlier this season.
That falls in line with Díaz previously sharing the extension in his right elbow immediately improved after having surgery.
Díaz pitched to a 10.50 ERA and converted four of five save opportunities before landing on the injured list and being diagnosed with the loose bodies that required surgery.
The Dodgers signed Díaz in the offseason to a record-setting three-year, $69 million contract.
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