The Edwin Diaz era continues to not go well for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Despite the fact Diaz is on the injured list for at least the next two months, Diaz found himself in hot water in his native Puerto Rico after he was named as one of the promotors of an alleged cockfighting ring, according to USA Today.
Diaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers in December after previously pitching for the New York Mets, has made just seven appearances in an LA uniform. He has been in on the injured list for the past month due to loose bodies in his elbow.
Diaz is expected to be out until the second half of the season.
Edwin Diaz Was Named in a Cockfighting Ring
Diaz was cited by the newspaper as appearing in promotional materials, alongside Puerto Rico-born horse jockeys Irad Diaz and Jose Ortiz, for a cockfighting event in the US territory’s capital of San Juan while playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
“Text in one of the ads, translated into English, reads, “The Puerto Rico Cockfighting Club invites all enthusiasts to a special match and a grand tribute to one of our island’s greatest sources of pride: A Tribute to the Puerto Rican Star and Cockfighter Edwin ‘Sugar’ Díaz,” USA Today reporter Josh Peter wrote.
The promotional materials showed Diaz wearing a Dodgers uniform and stated he would be available to sign autographs and pose for pictures after the event.
Cockfighting has been illegal in Puerto Rico since 2019, when the U.S. federal government banned the practice back in 2019. But Diaz apparently didn’t know that.
“It’s a pastime I’ve followed since I was a child,” Diaz told El Nuevo Dia while appearing on a tournament off day in March. “It’s legal in Puerto Rico; thank God. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
The Dodgers Closer Position May be Cursed
Injuries. Ineffective pitching. Cockfighting rings.
It’s entirely possible the Dodgers closer role is cursed.
Diaz is the third Dodgers closer in as many seasons, and each has had a sub-0 bWAR. Despite his four saves, Diaz has unwieldy numbers, sporting a 10.50 ERA and a minus-0.5 bWAR in six innings.
Tanner Scott, who signed to be the Dodgers closer before the 2025 season, has filled in admirably for Diaz since he went on the IL. But Scott, who signed a four-year, $72 million contract before the 2025 season, pitched to a minus-0.6 bWAR last season and lost his closer role first to Roki Sasaki in the playoffs then Diaz this offseason.
Evan Phillips was the Dodgers closer in 2024, and he locked down 18 saves despite his own minus-0.5 bWAR in 61 games. But Phillips is still recovering from Tommy John surgery in June 2025.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, they have figured out how to lock down games when it counts in October. Five different pitchers have postseason saves over the past two years — Blake Treinen had a save in both 2024 and 2025 — which is why Los Angeles is the two-time defending World Series champ and the betting favorite to three-peat.
Dodgers Closer Edwin Diaz Named in Concerning Report in Puerto Rico