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Three Dodgers are currently working through rehab assignments, per DodgerBlue.com. Kiké Hernández and Edwin Díaz are both further along in their recoveries, while Blake Snell is trailing behind — but all three are progressing toward returns to the active roster. Meanwhile, Will Smith continues to wait on his recovery from a neck injury with no timeline for baseball activities.

Hernández has been one of those glue guys who keeps showing up when we need him. The 34-year-old utility man has spent parts of four different stints with the Dodgers across his career, and his versatility — he can credibly play second base, shortstop, center field, and the corner outfield spots — makes him a valuable piece regardless of where his bat is at. Getting him back means another experienced option off the bench and a guy who knows how to handle October. His rehab being further along than Snell’s is encouraging, and I’d expect him back within the next week or so if things keep trending this direction.

Díaz is the interesting one here. The former Mets closer was one of the most dominant relievers in baseball during his peak — his 2022 season (32 saves, 1.31 ERA, 118 strikeouts in 62 innings) was legitimately historic. His time in New York fell apart after that, and the Dodgers brought him in as a reclamation project. When healthy, he still has that devastating slider that made him a nightmare for right-handed hitters. Having him close to a return gives our bullpen a potential high-leverage arm at a time when the back end of the relief corps could use reinforcement. If he’s anywhere near the version of himself that dominated the National League a few years ago, this is a significant addition.

Snell is the one I’m watching most closely, even though he’s behind the other two. The left-hander has had a complicated Dodgers tenure so far — the stuff has always been there (two Cy Young Awards don’t lie), but consistency and health have been recurring issues throughout his career. When Snell is locked in, he’s one of the best pitchers in baseball. The problem is getting him locked in and keeping him on the mound. His rehab being in the earlier stages suggests we’re probably looking at a late-July or early-August return, which lines up well with the stretch run if everything goes smoothly.

The bigger picture here is that we’re waiting on reinforcements while managing without Smith behind the plate (and that’s a whole separate problem we’ve already discussed). The good news is that three guys are all moving in the right direction at the same time. Hernández gives us depth and versatility, Díaz could shore up the bullpen, and Snell — if he comes back right — slots into a rotation that’s already formidable with Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki leading the way. The timing matters here. We’re approaching the trade deadline, and every player who comes back healthy is one fewer hole Andrew Friedman has to fill on the open market. That said, I wouldn’t count on any of these three being the reason we don’t make a move — especially with the catcher situation being what it is. But getting all three back healthy would be a real boost heading into August.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: July 18, 2026 5:11 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers