Edwin Diaz returned from the injured list on July 29, 2026, throwing his first game in three months and earning the win for the Los Angeles Dodgers against Seattle.
Diaz described the outing as his first game back off the IL. "My first game back, I was a little bit anxious, you know, I throw strikes, I made pitches. At the end of the day, I got the W," he said during a press conference.
Diaz noted that Seattle hitters were making hard contact against his fastball throughout the outing. He explained that concern grew after Josh Naylor squared up a pitch. "As soon as I saw Naylor hit that ball that was open in to him, I got worried a little bit, you know, and then start throwing my slider," Diaz said, describing how he adjusted his pitch mix in response to the hard contact against Josh Naylor. Despite the contact allowed, he was pleased with his fastball velocity, noting readings in the high 90s. "I saw a couple 97, 98, 99. So I was really happy with the fastball," he added.
Diaz speculated that his arm slot may have been inconsistent during the outing, saying, "I think maybe my arm was running side to side a little bit today." He mentioned plans to review video the next day to identify what opponents were seeing on his fastball and to make adjustments accordingly.
Diaz also spoke about the emotional aspect of his return, recalling the moment he heard the entrance trumpets again after three months away: "Feel great. Feel great." He noted that returning on his bobblehead night added extra motivation, saying his family in Puerto Rico was happy about the timing. Diaz also joked about the bobblehead itself, saying it "wasn't that bad." His outing helped the Dodgers win the game against Seattle.
Diaz said his focus now turns to reviewing video of the outing to understand what Seattle hitters were picking up on his fastball and to make adjustments in his next appearance.