Dave Roberts announced on August 18, 2026, that Edwin Diaz is going on the injured list with neck inflammation. "He is heading back to LA. He has neck inflammation. Dr. Watkins back home is going to check him out tomorrow morning," Roberts said during a press conference.
Roberts explained the team's next steps depend on what the examination reveals. "It's the plan to have some imaging and then go from there with a better idea as to what the imaging shows," he said. Despite the uncertainty, Roberts does not expect a long absence, noting, "I don't see a situation where he'd be out for the year."
Roberts also connected the neck issue to Diaz's recent performance, suggesting it might explain some inconsistency. He pointed to a fastball that dipped to 93 mph at the end of an outing after touching 98 mph earlier in the game. "There were some 98s too, you know, it's just kind of the velocity variance," he noted, adding that the neck issue could be tied to why "the stuff is not playing like it has in the past." Roberts confirmed Tanner will not shift into Diaz's role, since Tanner was already slotted for that spot.
Roberts also addressed Roki Sasaki's progress, confirming a bullpen session of roughly 35 pitches that covered his entire pitch mix. "He's always right around 35," Roberts said, adding that live batting practice could be the next step. He also confirmed the starter, referred to as Sasaki, delayed travel to Denver but will start the following game, stating, "he's here and he's starting tomorrow."
Asked about Kyle Tucker, Roberts described pulling him aside for a personal conversation to help him through a difficult stretch with the Dodgers. He explained that Tucker is a cerebral player who tends to internalize struggles, which factored into his decision to check in. "He's with a new ball club, he's scuffling, so I want to get that out of him," Roberts said, describing the meeting as a talk about life beyond baseball. He added that his broader approach is rooted in preventing isolation: "the worst thing is when a player feels like they're on an island. We're going to go through this together."
With Diaz's imaging scheduled for the morning after the announcement, the Dodgers are awaiting results before determining further roster moves, while Sasaki is set to start as planned in Denver.