How the Dodgers will manage their bullpen with Edwin Díaz out for months

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When Díaz reported elbow discomfort on Sunday after failing to record an out against the Colorado Rockies, it marked the first time he had told anyone with the organization that anything was potentially wrong with the superstar closer’s elbow. “The elbow popping up was definitely surprising,” general manager Brandon Gomes said Monday in the wake of Díaz going on the injured list. “But … when the performance had been fluctuating the way we were seeing, it makes sense that there was stuff going on.” Now the ninth inning is suddenly a massive question mark for a Dodgers club that doesn’t have many. Díaz will undergo elbow surgery, just a month into his three-year, $69 million contract. With the three-time All-Star expected to be out for several months, Manager Dave Roberts will use a closer by committee, similar to how he maneuvered through much of last season. Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen will need to step up, with Alex Vesia also figuring to factor into Roberts’ late-inning plans. It’s a complex situation, with usage expected to vary each game based on leverage and opposing lanes. “I do think being able to deploy guys in their right lanes or pockets has been helpful,” Roberts said Monday. “ (The injury) does kind of not allow us to work from the back end, which is certainly a luxury.” It’s the first real stress test for a Dodgers team off to a 15-6 start. It’s a concern that began as Díaz’s lagging fastball tumbled from averaging 97.2 mph a year ago to 95.7 mph so far this season. His arm slot had dipped along with it, with Baseball Savant showing that his arm angle had dropped from 19 degrees in 2025 to 16 degrees in 2026. Gomes declined to blame Díaz’s injury on his participation in the World Baseball Classic, saying the right-hander’s elbow discomfort “came out of nowhere.” The expectation is that Díaz will return this season. Until then, the Dodgers can still project toward October with all their potential bullpen chess pieces still on the board. But the trickle-down effect of not having one of the premier closers in the game will test an organization that already has much of its pitching depth on the injured list. It helps that the Dodgers broke from their typical behavior in each of the past two offseasons by splurging for relievers simply because they had the overwhelming financial resources to do so. They committed a combined $163 million over the last two winters to a trio of relief pitchers – Diaz, Scott and Treinen. But that bullpen calculus has changed just 21 games into the season, threatening some of the depth that they shelled out so much cash to create. “It does change it,” Roberts said. “In a big way.” One of the many perks of adding Díaz was the shift in game-planning. The Dodgers bullpen entered play Monday tied for fifth in FanGraphs WAR at 1.0 in part because Díaz’s presence has allowed Roberts to deploy relievers in optimal situations. Roberts spoke throughout spring training about the benefit of having a traditional closer — something the Dodgers have not had in several seasons — and how it allowed the manager to better match up his relievers. Several bullpen stalwarts are off to strong starts, partly because of that. Scott has allowed just one earned run through 10 appearances. Treinen did not record an out in Sunday’s loss, but had not allowed a run in his eight prior appearances. Vesia has arguably been the team’s most reliable reliever; he’s allowed just two hits and no runs while striking out 10 over 8 2/3 innings this year. The Dodgers need those track records to continue. Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior will work to pinpoint the best lanes to allow for that. But the abrupt and significant change in strategy will require flexibility and adaptability across the board. “It creates opportunities for guys,” Gomes said. “You hear time and time again of relief pitchers who come out of quote-unquote ‘nowhere’ and have the chance to step in and get on a good run.” The Dodgers do have other answers. Just not healthy ones. Los Angeles has a penchant for turning the 60-day injured list into a Russian nesting doll of sorts to stash pitching depth. Few teams are as outspoken about their distaste for trading for relievers at the trade deadline, so they’ve created contingencies for the second half of the season. That just doesn’t help them in the short term. The Dodgers have eight relief pitchers on their 40-man roster dealing with some form of injury; the closest to a return is Brock Stewart, who has made two rehab appearances in his climb back from shoulder surgery. Stewart is still several outings away from appearing in a big-league game. At least two of those pitchers, Evan Phillips and Jake Cousins, won’t be ready until the second half of the season. Now add Diaz to the list. One pitcher who won’t be an option for relief: Roki Sasaki. The Dodgers have been adamant about Sasaki remaining in the rotation, even as he continues to struggle with command. Sasaki turned in sharp results, and his velocity played up in his short stint as a reliever during last year’s playoff run. But his role in the bullpen was strictly situational. The plan was always for him to return to the rotation. Gomes doubled down on that once more Monday afternoon. When he was asked if Sasaki was a candidate to move to the bullpen, the executive responded with a one-word answer: “No.” The Dodgers believe Sasaki’s long-term future remains as a starter, and they are comfortable giving him an extended leash to find results. That likely won’t change, even with Blake Snell (shoulder) progressing toward a return. The Dodgers expect Snell back around mid-May, and the lefty is expected to start a rehab assignment soon. Los Angeles will continue to use a six-man rotation in the interim. With Díaz going on the IL, the organization opted to call up Jake Eder — a former starter whom the Dodgers acquired for cash 19 days ago. The Dodgers have been active in churning through optionable arms with their final spot on the 40-man roster, including last week’s acquisition of Chayce McDermott from the Baltimore Orioles. Expect the shuffle to continue as the Dodgers figure out what they have in a Díaz-less world, hoping to spring the next Anthony Banda- or Will Klein-like addition. This is how the Dodgers have consistently crafted strong bullpens, even before they started spending at the position. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms