Edwin Díaz, the Dodgers’ star closer, is finally nearing his big league return after elbow surgery, with a chance to be back on the mound in less than a week. This isn’t just any return, either. The guy just uncorked a 98 MPH fastball in his rehab and says he’s feeling better than ever after a nightmare start to the season.
The Road Back From the Bone Chips
Díaz made his first rehab appearance in Triple-A on Wednesday, a huge step after missing most of the year. He’s on a quick timeline, making a back-to-back appearance with OKC in Sacramento today, Thursday, and then lining up for possibly just one more outing this weekend. If all goes smoothly, there’s a real shot that both Díaz and Kiké Hernández could be active and ready to kick off the Dodgers’ next homestand on July 28. Talk about a mid-season jolt!
But what kept him out so long? Early in the season, just a few weeks in, Díaz was diagnosed with “loose bodies” in his throwing elbow. He spilled the beans to LA Sports Report’s Nelson Espinal recently, revealing those “loose bodies” were actually five bone chips! Can you imagine pitching with that? Díaz told Espinal, “Before I think I had a little bit of a problem trying to throw hard because I had five bone chips in my elbow. I’m cleaned up now and I threw 98. I could not have thrown 98 earlier in the season so I’m going in the right direction.” That’s the kind of honesty and confidence you love to hear from a guy signed to a three-year, $69 million deal, someone who was one of their two biggest offseason acquisitions.
What This Return Means for the Dodgers
Dodgers Nation’s Aaron Coloma put it perfectly, saying Díaz’s return could have a “huge effect” on the team, especially with all the pitching injuries they’ve been battling. When Díaz is fully healthy, he’s a true force. He showed flashes of his best stuff right at the beginning of the season, even with those bone chips rattling around! His trademark trumpets blasting from the bullpen are more than just a cool entrance; they signal pure dominance.
The Dodgers are hoping he can get right back to that early-season form. Why? Because they’ve got their sights set on making history, aiming to be the first National League team to three-peat. Adding a fully healthy, 98 MPH-throwing Edwin Díaz back to their bullpen for the stretch run could be exactly what they need to pull it off. The guy’s velocity is already improving, and he feels good. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the league.
Díaz still has one more rehab start likely this weekend. If everything keeps trending in the right direction, we could see those trumpets blaring from the Dodger Stadium bullpen as early as July 28. Get ready for a huge boost for a team aiming to make history. The league better be ready for the cleaned-up, 98 MPH-throwing Edwin Díaz.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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