Edwin Diaz injury update is potential long-term nightmare for Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers losing two consecutive games to the Colorado Rockies over the weekend isn't something that will sound alarms in LA. As strange as it is to see, stuff like that happens over the course of a 162-game season. Unfortunately, the same caveat can't be applied to the status of Edwin Díaz.

Over the past week, Díaz and Dave Roberts rolled out every excuse available under the sun to explain why he wasn't used. Díaz cautioned reporters that it was normal for his velocity to be down during the first month of the season, and Roberts downplayed the All-Star closer's lack of usage by pointing to the knee discomfort he reported during his previous outing against the Texas Rangers on April 10.

The excuses weren't exactly passing the sniff test, and it finally came to a head on Sunday. Trailing by two in the eighth inning, it seemed like an ideal time for Díaz to make his first appearance in a week. It was a disaster. He didn't record a single out while giving up three hits and walking one. His fastball velocity was down once again, and after the game, all parties involved finally said the quiet part out loud.

“Today was a tough evaluation,” Roberts told reporters. “I mean, it really was … I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really."

On Monday, the Dodgers officially moved Díaz to the IL with "loose bodies" in his right elbow. Jake Eder was recalled to the active roster.

Dodgers officially move Edwin Díaz to IL after downplaying his discomfort

On one hand, finally, at least Roberts finally reached the point where he doesn't have to withhold the concern while speaking with reporters. It was clear that the Dodgers felt something might have been off behind the scenes; otherwise, there would have been no justification for holding out for a week's worth of games.

On the other hand, Díaz's situation is a reminder that Roberts is always going to be Roberts. His injury assessments over the years haven't been the most accurate. In this case, the Dodgers manager hadn't even checked with the team's training staff before speaking with reporters on Sunday. One would think that should have been the priority.

Obviously, the Dodgers need Díaz healthy. For as great as the Dodgers have looked to open the season, they will need a definitive answer at the end of their bullpen if that success will hold up through October. It's disappointing it took less than a month for him to run into his first injury, but as long as he's back for the postseason, the Dodgers will be fine. If not, well. We'll be having a different conversation.

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