This article was generated by artificial intelligence and is automatically updated as news breaks. All credit belongs to the original reporters and their publications.

Edwin Díaz is back on the 15-day injured list — this time with neck inflammation — and Tanner Scott steps right back into the closer role, per staff at Dodger Blue. It’s the second IL stint of the season for Díaz, who previously missed more than three months recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.

Díaz’s season has been a rough ride from the start. The former Mets closer came to Los Angeles with the expectation that he’d anchor the back end of the bullpen, but between the elbow surgery and now neck inflammation, he’s barely had a chance to settle in. When he has pitched, the results haven’t been pretty — we already covered the 10.66 ERA and the team’s attempts to get him right before his latest IL placement. At some point, you have to wonder how much more runway the Dodgers can give him this season. The stuff that made him one of the most dominant relievers in baseball is still in there somewhere, but health has been the persistent roadblock. Neck inflammation isn’t typically a long-term concern, but for a pitcher who’s already lost the bulk of his season to the elbow, every new setback compounds the problem.

Scott, meanwhile, has been solid in the closer role all year. He was the primary ninth-inning option during Díaz’s extended absence earlier in the season, and there’s no reason to think he won’t handle it capably again. Scott’s blend of velocity and slider command from the left side makes him a legitimate high-leverage weapon — not just a placeholder. He’s proven he can close in big spots, and the Dodgers clearly trust him there.

The bigger picture here is that the Dodgers’ bullpen depth continues to be tested. We’ve cycled through closer options, dealt with various reliever injuries, and leaned heavily on guys like Evan Phillips, Alex Vesia, and Jack Dreyer to hold things together in late innings. Adding another IL stint for Díaz doesn’t fundamentally change the bullpen’s day-to-day operation — Scott was already getting save chances and high-leverage work — but it does shift the long-term calculus. If Díaz can’t stay healthy enough to establish himself as the closer down the stretch, the team may need to accept that Scott is the guy for October.

I think most of us saw this coming after Díaz’s rough stretch on the mound. The neck issue gives the team a clean reason to step him back and let him heal without the pressure of trying to perform through it. For now, Scott closes. And honestly? That’s not a bad place to be. He’s earned the job, and the Dodgers are still in a strong position bullpen-wise even without Díaz available. The concern isn’t today — it’s whether Díaz can contribute anything meaningful when September and October roll around.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 19, 2026 1:29 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers