When the Los Angeles Dodgers traded for Alexis Diaz back in May, they were getting an exceedingly talented reliever who was leaving the Reds on bad terms as command issues and resentment had caused issues on both sides.
Diaz seemed to be thrilled getting out of Cincinnati and it is very clear that Reds fans were not going to miss him. While these sorts of breakups aren't uncommon and are kind of sad, it also creates a great opportunity for some good ol' fashioned revenge on the field.
Since being called up to the majors by LA, Diaz had only appeared in two games and they were fairly boring appearances. However, Diaz's next appearance would come against the Reds, and fans in Cincy let Diaz have it during Tuesday night's game at the Great American Ballpark.
Alexis Diaz got booed while entering the game in his return to Cincinnati.pic.twitter.com/CvhlAk3hM5
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) July 30, 2025
And this time, Diaz got the last laugh. Not only did the Dodgers win, but Diaz pitched a clean inning after being booed by thousands of people to help secure the victory.
Alexis Diaz shoved Reds' fans boos in their face after clean inning in Dodgers' win
Oh how sweet it is to ruin the night of opposing fans, especially when those fans hate you so much. It is a little weird that Reds fans dislike Diaz as much as they do given that he did make an All-Star team with them and his biggest crime was regressing. It isn't like he begged his way out of town, left for more money, or cost them a World Series.
Nevertheless, this is the world we live in and Diaz won the day. While not an overpowering performance where his raw stuff was on full display, Diaz gave the Dodgers 1 1/3 cleaning innings, which allowed LA to get to Alex Vesia in the ninth to lock the game up.
Will Diaz make the Reds rue the day when they gave up on him and shipped him to the Dodgers for peanuts? It is too early to say, though he absolutely has the stuff to potentially do that. However, for one game during a brutally hot July, Diaz reminded his former team and their fans that there is a reason why the Dodgers acquired him in the first place and he didn't shrink from the perfect moment to show them exactly what that reason is.
