The Los Angeles Dodgers will be without their prominent relief pitcher, Edwin Díaz, for several months.
The organization confirmed on Monday that the hurler has been moved to the disabled list due to “loose bodies” discovered in his right elbow. These “loose bodies” are fragments of bone or cartilage detached and moving freely within the joint.
Díaz is slated for an operation to address the joint, with a projected comeback during the latter half of the current season, according to the club. Consequently, L.A. is promoting Jake Eder, who was acquired from the Washington Nationals during the off-season.
Díaz secured an unprecedented three-year, $69 million deal to join the Dodgers ahead of this season, following his six-year tenure with the New York Mets. To date this season, Díaz has participated in seven games for L.A., recording four saves and one unsuccessful save attempt.
However, his last two outings proved to be his least effective: He squandered a three-run advantage in the ninth inning versus the Texas Rangers on April 10 (though the Dodgers ultimately triumphed 8-7 via a walk-off homer), and subsequently yielded an additional three earned runs in a 9-6 defeat to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, which inflated his earned run average to 10.50 for the year.
Whether his ailment played a role in his recent poor performances remains uncertain. The 32-year-old athlete is now expected to be sidelined for roughly the next quarter, with the Dodgers anticipating his return following the All-Star festivities in July.
