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Edwin Díaz is pushing back against allegations linking him to illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico, saying he didn’t do anything illegal, per the LA Times. The Dodgers reliever addressed the situation directly, denying involvement in any criminal activity connected to cockfighting operations on the island.

Díaz has had one of the more dramatic career arcs of any reliever in recent memory. He burst onto the scene with the Seattle Mariners, posting a dominant 2018 season in which he recorded 57 saves and struck out 124 batters in 73.1 innings — numbers that earned him a massive trade to the New York Mets. His time in Queens was a roller coaster: a rough first season in 2019, a resurgence during the shortened 2020 campaign, and then the devastating knee injury suffered during the 2023 World Baseball Classic celebration that cost him most of that season. He eventually returned and reclaimed the closer role in New York before finding his way to the Dodgers, where the front office brought him in to bolster a bullpen that has been a priority for Andrew Friedman’s group for years. When he’s right, Díaz remains one of the nastiest relievers in the game — his slider is still a legitimate swing-and-miss weapon that gives right-handed hitters fits.

The cockfighting allegations are a serious matter, and Díaz was right to address them head-on. Cockfighting has a complicated history in Puerto Rico — it was legal on the island for centuries before being banned under federal law in 2019, and enforcement has been a contentious political issue. That cultural context matters, but so does the legal reality. Díaz was clear that he did not engage in anything illegal, and until there’s evidence suggesting otherwise, that should be taken at face value.

From the Dodgers’ perspective, this is the kind of off-field story you’d rather not deal with in the middle of a pennant race. The club needs Díaz locked in and available in high-leverage situations — distractions don’t help. That said, there’s no indication this will result in any disciplinary action from MLB or the team at this point. Díaz denied wrongdoing, and the Dodgers will presumably monitor the situation as it develops. For now, this is a story to file away and keep an eye on. If it goes nowhere, we move on. If more comes out, that changes the calculus. But right now, the most important thing for Díaz is staying focused on the mound and continuing to give our bullpen the kind of late-inning dominance we acquired him for.

Source(s): Staff (LA Times) | First reported: July 5, 2026 9:55 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers