LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cue the trumpet. Edwin Díaz is back to close out games for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 32-year-old right-hander was activated off the injured list Wednesday after missing 85 games. He had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in April.
“We just got a lot better,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Díaz returns to a team that led the NL West by 11 games going into Wednesday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners, who chose him in the third round of the 2012 draft out of Puerto Rico. He made his big league debut in 2016.
Díaz is the latest player to come off the IL. Utility man Kiké Hernández returned Tuesday, while two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell could rejoin the team soon. He tossed four shutout innings, allowing one run, and struck out nine on 60 pitches in a minor league rehab start for Low-A Ontario on Wednesday night.
It was Díaz’s first bobblehead night with the Dodgers, who signed him to a $69 million, three-year deal last offseason.
“I can’t wait,” he said.
Tanner Scott had been serving as the temporary closer. He had 16 saves with a 2.65 ERA in Díaz’s absence.
“I’ve been on the sidelines for a long time and couldn’t wait to be back,” Díaz said. “I want to help this team win.”
He was 1-0 with four saves over seven appearances and six innings before being sidelined. Not what the Dodgers had expected when he came from the New York Mets.
“Taking out those bone chips or whatever they were, they looked like shark teeth,” Roberts said. “It was compromising his extension, the feel and all that stuff. He says he hasn’t felt this good in quite some time.”
Roberts isn’t measuring Díaz by velocity.
“I’m looking for more of the command,” he said. “At the end of the day, the hitters will tell how the stuff is.”
Díaz made seven rehab appearances, allowing two runs with 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
“The adrenaline will be there,” he said. “I pitched in seven minor league games, but every stadium, the fans weren’t like they are here. So I’m expecting to be a little more aggressive than I was in the minor leagues.”
To make room on the roster, pitcher Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment.
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