The Dodgers are giving Edwin Díaz an opportunity to prove he belongs in their postseason bullpen.
Los Angeles activated Díaz from the 15-day injured list Friday and optioned Landon Knack to Triple-A Oklahoma City in the corresponding move.
Díaz will initially work in lower-leverage situations rather than immediately returning to the closer role. With the regular season nearing its conclusion, every appearance will carry significance as the Dodgers evaluate their options for October.
His postseason position remains uncertain.
Díaz Returns After Uneven Rehab Assignment
Díaz had been sidelined since Aug. 18 with neck inflammation, marking his second injured-list stint of a difficult first season with Los Angeles.
He previously missed more than three months after undergoing surgery in April to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.
When available, Díaz has struggled to rediscover the form that made him one of baseball’s most dominant relievers. He has an 11.85 ERA with 19 strikeouts and 10 walks across 13⅔ innings this season. He has also converted seven of his 11 save opportunities.
His Triple-A rehab assignment created additional concerns.
Díaz allowed six runs over 4⅓ innings in five appearances for Oklahoma City, walking seven batters while striking out four. Three of those appearances included more balls than strikes.
His most difficult outing came Sunday, when he allowed five runs while recording only two outs. He responded Wednesday with a scoreless inning, throwing 11 of his 15 pitches for strikes while working around a two-out double.
That improvement was enough for the Dodgers to bring him back, but it did not settle the larger postseason question.
Díaz Must Pitch His Way Onto October Roster
Dave Roberts has made it clear that Díaz’s career accomplishments will not guarantee him a postseason position.
“I think like anything, it should be a meritocracy,” Roberts said. “You have to earn the right of opportunities, but then you also got to perform.”
The Dodgers will begin by using Díaz in situations with less immediate pressure. That should allow him to work on his command and rebuild confidence without being responsible for protecting narrow leads in the ninth inning.
What Los Angeles needs to see is straightforward.
Díaz must throw consistent strikes, regain the swing-and-miss ability that has defined his career and demonstrate that he can be trusted against postseason lineups.
The Dodgers signed Díaz to a three-year contract because of what he has accomplished in high-leverage situations. However, the bullpen they carry into October must be based on what each pitcher can provide now.
Díaz still has an opportunity to make his case, but the remaining evaluation period will be short.
Knack Optioned After Delivering In Clincher
Knack returns to Triple-A one day after making an important contribution to the Dodgers’ latest NL West championship.
With Los Angeles planning an all-hands-on-deck pitching game Thursday in Cincinnati, Knack provided four scoreless innings in relief. He allowed four hits and earned the victory as the Dodgers defeated the Reds, 8-2, to secure their fifth consecutive division title and 13th in 14 seasons.
Knack has recorded a 3.86 ERA with eight strikeouts and two walks across 11⅔ Major League innings this season.
His option creates the necessary active-roster opening for Díaz. It should not be viewed as a response to anything Knack did wrong.
He was recalled to give the Dodgers length during the division-clinching game and accomplished exactly what they needed.
Dodgers Need Evidence From Díaz
The Dodgers already know what Díaz can be when he is healthy and commanding his pitches.
The question is whether that version will appear before postseason rosters are finalized.
His reputation and previous success may earn him opportunities over the final games of the regular season, but they will not make the decision for Los Angeles.
Díaz must now give the Dodgers tangible evidence that he can record important outs in October.