Edwin Diaz Injury, Latest News on Dodgers Closer's Status, Return Timeline Amid Struggles

Edwin Díaz is going back on the injured list.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters the relief pitcher is dealing with neck inflammation and will be further evaluated Wednesday. While that evaluation will provide more details, the manager said the team expects him to return this season.

Katie Woo of The Athletic first reported Dodgers will place Díaz on the injured list. The right-hander was activated from the 60-day injured list in July following elbow surgery and has struggled to regain his prior form.

Jack Harris of the California Post provided more details:

It looked like another case of the rich getting richer with the Dodgers when they signed Díaz this past offseason.

After all, he was one of the best relief pitchers in baseball the year before with the New York Mets with a 1.63 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. His resume includes three All-Star selections, one Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year award and two Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Awards.

However, he was sidelined with the elbow injury throughout May and June before returning to the bullpen on July 29.

Díaz has looked nothing like his previous self, though, since his return and has a 15.88 ERA in seven August appearances. He has also blown three of his five save opportunities since Aug. 7 and just gave up three earned runs and four hits in one inning of work against the Colorado Rockies on Monday.

This is not the version of Díaz the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him this offseason, and he will once again be missing from their bullpen following this latest setback.

Los Angeles recalled Emmet Sheehan from Triple-A in a corresponding move, per Woo.

While it is still eight games ahead of the San Diego Padres in the National League West, Los Angeles has struggled of late. It is 6-10 in August during a stretch that saw fellow National League contenders in the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers combine to go 6-1 against the back-to-back reigning champions.

Having the version of Díaz who was so dominant for the Mets back in the bullpen by the playoffs would be a boost for the Dodgers, but there are more questions than answers for now.