Through six innings across seven appearances this year, Díaz sports a 10.50 ERA, with five walks and a home run allowed. His velocity dipped notably in his latest game, topping 92.7 mph on the radar gun, well below his typical 97 mph peak and the season average near 95 mph.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts voiced concerns after the Rockies game, describing the evaluation as tough and saying he would discuss the issue with Díaz and the medical staff. He noted that the radar readings were inconsistent with Díaz’s expected velocity and indicated depth beyond a simple mechanical hiccup, while Díaz had recently warned about a knee issue from a prior game against the Texas Rangers.
To address the rotation in Díaz’s absence, Los Angeles promoted Jake Eder to the 26-man roster. Eder, who appeared for the Angels last season, projects to slide into a long-relief role for the Dodgers as they navigate late-innings options without Díaz.
In the bullpen, Alex Vesia has emerged as the leading closer candidate, having not allowed a run in more than 10 appearances (8.2 innings). Tanner Scott has also delivered early returns with a 1.04 ERA across 10 games, giving Dodgers manager Dave Roberts a potential committee approach for final outs and matchup-based decisions.
Beyond Vesia and Scott, Blake Treinen remains in the bullpen but is unlikely to close frequently given recent struggles, with Will Klein, Jack Dreyer, Edgardo Henriquez, and Kyle Hurt providing additional depth. The Dodgers are expected to mix and match as they determine the best path forward in Díaz’s absence.
