The Dodgers are calling up right-hander Alexis Díaz, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The former Reds closer was acquired in a trade earlier this year but has been in the minors since that deal. He is on the 40-man roster, so the Dodgers will only need to make a corresponding active roster move to open a spot.
Díaz will get his first look in Dodger blue. L.A. acquired the 2023 All-Star from Cincinnati in late May. It was essentially a salary dump for the Reds. The Dodgers agreed to cover the nearly $3MM remaining on Díaz’s $4.5MM salary for this season. Between that and the associated 110% luxury tax figure, it was a sizable bet on a rebound. Díaz had given up eight runs with more walks than strikeouts through his first six MLB innings this year. He was pitching in Triple-A at the time of the trade.
The Dodgers opted for a complete reset, assigning Díaz to their Arizona complex for a couple weeks. They presumably felt they could iron out some kind of repertoire or mechanical issues before sending him back to a minor league affiliate. He has been at Triple-A Oklahoma City for the past two weeks. The results haven’t been any better, as he’s allowed five runs while issuing seven walks and hitting two more batters in only 4 2/3 innings.
Díaz has always had below-average command, but he showed big swing-and-miss ability over his first two MLB seasons. His velocity and strikeout rate each dipped last year, though he managed a respectable enough 3.99 ERA across 56 1/3 frames. Díaz combined for 65 saves between 2023-24 but won’t be in position for high-leverage work unless he begins missing bats again. He remains a project but will get a look in Dave Roberts’ middle innings group, likely bumping one of Will Klein or Julian Fernández back to Triple-A. Díaz is trending towards a non-tender but would be eligible for arbitration for another three seasons if he pitches well enough to hold his roster spot.
DFA Fernandez
Only to be DFA’d days later. So far in OKC, 4.2 IP, 2H, 7 walks (!), 2 HBP (!), 2 balks (!), 5 runs, 1 home run…woof
He’s going to fit right in with how the rest of the pitching has been this year.
The Dodgers can glue, nail and duct tape everything together and still win 95+ games this season.
But that won’t guarantee them anything, other than a playoff spot come October.
Yep that’s how that works
Ditto. And marks my words: all the starting pitching will be “healthy” come playoff time.
As a lifelong Dodgers fan of more than five decades, I’m absolutely cringing at this news. The team’s well-lubed pitching turnstile continues to spin at a record clip. What’s the pitcher count up to this season? It’s gotta be 25-30 different pitchers they’ve used by this point. Updating: Counting position players, he’ll be the 36th Dodger used on the mound and we’ve still got 70 games left.
40 Dodger pitchers received World Series Championship rings last season.
@Steve – It’s a tie between the Mets & Dodgers, but Dodgers count includes two position players.
As long as their frontline starters — Yamamoto, Snell, Glasnow, etc. — are healthy come October, these bandaid arms are exactly that: temporary fill-ins, nothing more.
Given his track record and salary, it seems the Dodgers have more than temporary fill-in hopes for Diaz. Not sure where they get them, though. Sure isn’t showing up in the numbers.
Blue
Even the Dodgers get one wrong every now and then. Alexis will be gone before the month is over. The Blakes are coming soon.
They throw a lot of meat into the grinder as inexpensive innings-eaters. The fact that they picked up Diaz’s considerable salary, and included a prospect beside, suggests they are hoping for more from him than the usual two weeks.
If this season is anything like the last one, they’ll be using those band-aids to cobble together bullpen games in the playoffs. Hopefully, the lineup will be able to save them again….
Mets could of had Diaz for nothing. You can’t convince me that guys like Butto, Devinski, Tyler Zuber, Ty Adcock, Tyler Jay, Branden Waddell, Jake Hagenmann, Colin Poche, Rich Lovelady, etc. are all better options then Alexis Diaz, who I might add has had recent MLB success. If I was the Mets GM over Stearns we would have 10 more wins right now
Diaz hasn’t been good in 2 years and the Dodgers are paying him $3 million.
guys like Lovelady can be given a tryout and DFA’ed at next to no cost. Giving Diaz a DFA costs his larger salary and a prospect.
I am glad the Mets didn’t get him so he doesn’t screw up his brother Edwin’s mechanics out there in the bullpen.
Hard to envision a good outcome for this move.
The Blue Crew must be really hard up for arms, Diaz hasn’t exactly been lighting things up in OKC.
I think this can be filed under the last 4 games have been an uncharacteristic disaster for the Dodgers. They have been outplayed at every turn. You’re gonna lose games. The other team drives nice cars, too. (H/T Dontrelle). But it is rare for the Dodgers to play this sloppy and be so outplayed. This is the four game stretch that got them bounced out of the first round in 2023 and 2022. Right down to the ice cold offense. Better now than then.
The Dodgers bullpen has had a rotating set of three guys at a time who should not be pitching in the majors. Little, Davis, Klein, Travino (not horrible but still), etc.
Diaz might not pan out. But if you dfa him in a few days, no one is going to pick up his 3 million salary, and I don’t think he’s out of options or has the service time to elect free agency. So pretty sure you don’t lose him.
Might as well see what you got – cause running out these other guys is psychologically crushing.
Right now, it’s clear they will use any fresh arms they can to rest the overtaxed “real” part of the bullpen and get to the ASB.
If Diaz surprises – even if unlucky – that’s gravy. And f he doesn’t, is he worse than the others? Hard to imagine.
well said
Trade him to NY Mets. Coach Edwin can fix little (bigger) brother.
How again is the dodgers GM the best in MLB. They have 68mil advantage over every team in MLB. There’s only one ohtani no one deferring 68mil per year. Yet they only have 1game lead on the cubbies. Who beat them in season series. And lost there #1 for season, and #2 for 2 months. So damn overated the dodgers gm
The overrated World Champion Dodgers. There. Fixed it for you.
Couldn’t win a real ring. Had to have ohtani people change the system. 👍
Same amount of rings in past 35 years as the Cubs. Nice
rehash reality to fit your view. whatever makes you feel better. ain’t jealousy a wonderful thing.
But but the Dodgers hosed the Reds. If anybody can fix Diaz it’s the Dodgers. Lol Dodger fans.
Easier to fix Diaz than fix your 4th place squad. Good thing the Pirates are in the Reds’ dvision, eh?
At this point, Reds fan will be grateful for a 500 season….
Another epic fail year from the front office and Elly is a year closer to being gone to the bright lights, big city.