Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Edwin Diaz will start a rehab assignment at Single-A Ontario on Saturday after spending more than two months on the injured list following an elbow procedure.
Diaz, who was signed to a three-year, $69-million contract in the offseason, struggled to a 10.50 ERA over his first seven appearances for the Dodgers with four saves. He went on the injured list with loose bodies in his pitching elbow.
The 32-year-old is 29-36 with a 2.91 ERA and 257 saves over nine seasons that includes time with the Seattle Mariners (2016-18) and New York Mets (2019-25). He is a three-time All-Star, including last season while in New York.
Without Diaz in the closer role, the Dodgers bullpen has been successful despite its struggles in a 9-3 home loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday. Los Angeles relievers entered Saturday’s play with a combined 3.77 ERA, fifth best in the National League.
Diaz expects to return to the active roster shortly after the All-Star break.
“I feel really good. I feel way better than early in the season,” Diaz said this past week. “I can see them missing the fastball. That’s something I couldn’t do early in the season, because I wasn’t right. Now I just gotta keep throwing strikes, making pitches.
