LOS ANGELES -- It's only a matter of time before the trumpets will sound at Dodger Stadium once more.
Closer Edwin Díaz, who is on the 60-day injured list after having surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow at the end of April, began a rehab assignment with Single-A Ontario on July 11. The Dodgers don't have a set timeline for his return to action, but the hope is that he'll be activated not long after the All-Star break.
Here's a rundown of what to know about Díaz's rehab assignment:
How did he perform?
Díaz pitched a scoreless inning in his first rehab appearance with Ontario on July 11. He struck out the first two hitters he faced, then gave up a base hit. The runner was caught stealing soon after. Díaz threw 11 pitches (eight strikes).
What's next?
Díaz won't pitch on back-to-back days until later in his rehab assignment, so the timing of the All-Star break complicates when he might make his next outing for a Dodgers affiliate. Manager Dave Roberts said appearing in the Arizona Complex League -- which does not break for All-Star Week -- is an option for Díaz.
What are they saying?
Díaz last pitched for the Dodgers on April 19. While he needs some time to build up his arm, he's preparing for a one-inning role, so his rehab assignment may not need to be very long.
"I don’t know how many outings they’re planning on giving him," manager Dave Roberts said. "I think [the coaches and] the training staff are driving that progression."
What else?
Before he went on the IL, a notable concern was that Díaz's fastball averaged 95.7 mph, down from 97.2 mph in 2025. The Dodgers believe that his higher velocity will return now that the loose bodies have been removed from his elbow.
In Díaz's absence, the Dodgers have gone with a closer-by-committee approach in theory, but Tanner Scott has gotten the bulk of the save opportunities in practice. Once Díaz is activated from the IL, Scott should shift back to a setup role.