Dodgers’ Edwin Diaz’s first rehab appearance mercifully not a disaster

Edwin Diaz‘s road back to the Dodgers bullpen is officially underway, and for a pitcher who has endured a nightmare season, a clean outing counts as a small victory.

The right-hander made his first appearance on this rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, tossing a scoreless inning that included a walk and a strikeout. It wasn’t dominant, but for a closer who has spent more time on the injured list than the mound in 2026, simply getting through an inning unscathed qualifies as good news.

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Diaz’s year has been defined by setbacks. He opened the season on the injured list after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, an issue the Dodgers initially hoped would sideline him only into the second half. He returned in late July, but the comeback lasted less than a month before a new problem surfaced. After allowing runs in six of nine appearances and blowing three saves in an 11-game stretch, Diaz landed back on the injured list on August 18 with neck inflammation. Across 16 appearances this season, he carries an unsightly 11.85 ERA over just 13 2/3 innings.

Manager Dave Roberts has been clear that Diaz won’t simply slide back into the ninth inning once healthy. Instead, the plan calls for him to ease back in through lower-leverage situations while the Dodgers monitor both his health and his mechanics, particularly his arm slot and slider shape, before trusting him with high-leverage outs again. Tanner Scott has held down the closer role during Díaz’s absence.

Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior have both expressed confidence in where Díaz stands mentally and physically, even if the results haven’t followed yet. Given his track record as a shutdown reliever before this injury-plagued stretch, the Dodgers won’t need an extended rehab stint to determine his readiness. His estimated return date is targeted for around September 8, and Sunday’s clean, if unspectacular, inning was a step in the right direction.

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