Dodgers acquire ex-closer Diaz in trade with Reds

The Los Angeles Dodgers person acquired erstwhile All-Star person Alexis Diaz from the Cincinnati Reds, it was announced Thursday.

In exchange, the Dodgers are sending insignificant league reliever Mike Villani, their 13th-round prime past summer, to the Reds.

Diaz, the younger member of New York Mets person Edwin Diaz, burst onto the country successful 2022 and 2023, posting a 2.47 ERA portion collecting 47 saves and striking retired 169 batters successful 131 innings. His numbers tailed disconnected successful 2024, with his ERA rising to 3.99 and his strikeout complaint dropping by astir 10 percent points.

Diaz began this play by allowing 8 runs successful six innings, during which helium struck retired lone 3 batters. His mean fastball velocity dropped for the 4th consecutive year, from 95.7 mph each the mode down to 93 mph.

After being optioned to Triple-A connected May 1, Diaz's numbers haven't been overmuch better. In 14 appearances with the Louisville Bats, Diaz, 28, has posted a 4.61 ERA with 12 walks successful 13 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers program to initially nonstop Diaz to their outpouring grooming installation successful Glendale, Arizona, to effort to get him right.

The anticipation is that he'll yet reenforce a needy group, arsenic the Dodgers presently person 5 high-leverage relievers connected the injured database -- Brusdar Graterol, Michael Kopech, Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates.

Edgardo Henriquez, who tin propulsion his fastball successful the triple digits, and Michael Grove, who has appeared successful 64 games implicit the past 3 years, are besides hurt.

All 7 of them are right-handed, similar Diaz. At the moment, the lone right-handed reliever the Dodgers spot to clasp leads seems to beryllium Ben Casparius.