Latest news with #AlexisDíaz
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Los Angeles Dodgers acquire former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz in trade with Cincinnati Reds
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in a trade for minor league pitcher Mike Villani. The Dodgers moved right-hander Evan Phillips to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Díaz, who had a 12.00 ERA in six games for Cincinnati this season. Díaz finished fifth in voting for NL Rookie of the Year in 2022, and he was chosen for the NL All-Star team in 2023 when he went 9-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 37 saves. He recorded 28 saves in 32 opportunities last season with a 1.30 WHIP, but he also began a decline that continued into this season. Díaz lost his job as Cincinnati's closer last month, and he was demoted to Triple-A Louisville nearly a month ago despite making $4.5 million this season. The 28-year-old Díaz is the brother of Mets closer Edwin Díaz. Villani, a Long Beach State product, was the Dodgers' 13th-round pick in last year's amateur draft. Phillips went on the injured list May 7 with elbow discomfort, and his recovery does not appear to be going well. Manager Dave Roberts said earlier this week that Phillips' inability to begin a throwing program was "a little concerning." Phillips is among of 14 Dodgers pitchers on the injured lis, a group making more than $100 million combined this season. The injured arms include starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, and the relievers include Phillips, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol. Phillips was a key component of the eventual World Series champions' bullpen last year, and he earned 42 saves over the past two seasons.
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Can Alexis Díaz help the Dodgers' injury-plagued pitching staff? He's in Arizona for fine-tuning
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former All-Star pitcher Alexis Díaz has reported to the Los Angeles Dodgers' facility in Arizona for some fine-tuning before joining the team. The 28-year-old right-hander was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds for minor league pitcher Mike Villani on Thursday. The Dodgers' minor league staff will observe Díaz's delivery and mechanics to 'get some things cleaned up and then he'll join us,' manager Dave Roberts said Friday. He had no specific timetable on when Díaz would be with the team. 'That's really contingent on kind of how soon he takes to some of the things that we see and kind of how that goes,' Roberts said. The Dodgers are in immediate need of pitching help, given the rash of injuries to the staff. Reliever Evan Phillips will have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday and be out the rest of the season. Díaz was an All-Star in 2023, going 9-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 37 saves in a career-high 71 games. He has 75 saves in 86 chances with a 3.21 ERA in 196 games over four seasons. 'The main thing is we got to get him back to being the player that we've seen in the past and he's just not there right now,' Roberts said. 'It was a good get. We're excited about getting this player and potentially getting him kind of dialed in and hopefully expect him to help us.' ___ AP MLB:
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Alexis Díaz joins Dodgers in stunning trade deal with Reds, reshaping LA's pitching strategy
Dodgers secure former All-Star Alexis Díaz in high-stakes trade with Reds (Imagn Images) In a bold effort to stabilize their shaky bullpen, the Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled off an early-season trade, acquiring right-hander Alexis Díaz from the Cincinnati Reds. The move signals a clear urgency from the Dodgers' front office following their recent bullpen meltdown against the Guardians, where a two-run lead spiraled into a 7–4 loss in a single inning. How Alexis Díaz's All-Star talent gives the Dodgers a dominant bullpen edge after Reds trade Alexis Díaz, once considered one of the top young closers in the game, has experienced a sharp decline in form. Just two years ago, he was among the most dependable relievers in the National League, earning an All-Star selection in 2023 and amassing 47 saves with a 2.47 ERA between 2022 and 2023. But injuries and inconsistency have derailed his trajectory. This season, Díaz holds a rough 12.00 ERA in just six innings at the Major League level and was recently demoted to Triple-A after struggling to regain command post-hamstring injury. Despite his recent troubles, the Dodgers see an opportunity. 'He combined to post a 2.47 ERA with 47 saves — and 169 strikeouts against 69 walks — across 130 appearances in those two seasons,' as noted in the official release. For a team whose bullpen has logged the most innings in baseball this year and currently ranks 17th with a 3.98 ERA, this is more than a gamble—it's a strategic investment. L.A. is sending Minor League pitcher Mike Villani, a 13th-round pick in 2024, to Cincinnati in return. To make space on the 40-man roster, the Dodgers moved veteran reliever Evan Phillips to the 60-day IL, a blow to the bullpen's stability. With Díaz under team control through 2027 and earning $4.5 million this season, the Dodgers are betting on a low-cost, high-upside arm who, if revived, could fortify a bullpen in desperate need of reliability. His past suggests he can handle high-leverage moments. Now it's up to the Dodgers' coaching staff to help him rediscover that edge. Also Read: 'A lot better than us': After getting swept, Alex Cora admits Red Sox were no match for Brewers
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Los Angeles Dodgers acquire former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz in trade with Cincinnati Reds
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in a trade for minor league pitcher Mike Villani. The Dodgers moved right-hander Evan Phillips to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Díaz, who had a 12.00 ERA in six games for Cincinnati this season. Díaz finished fifth in voting for NL Rookie of the Year in 2022, and he was chosen for the NL All-Star team in 2023 when he went 9-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 37 saves. He recorded 28 saves in 32 opportunities last season with a 1.30 WHIP, but he also began a decline that continued into this season. Díaz lost his job as Cincinnati's closer last month, and he was demoted to Triple-A Louisville nearly a month ago despite making $4.5 million this season. The 28-year-old Díaz is the brother of Mets closer Edwin Díaz. Villani, a Long Beach State product, was the Dodgers' 13th-round pick in last year's amateur draft. Phillips went on the injured list May 7 with elbow discomfort, and his recovery does not appear to be going well. Manager Dave Roberts said earlier this week that Phillips' inability to begin a throwing program was 'a little concerning.' Phillips is among of 14 Dodgers pitchers on the injured lis, a group making more than $100 million combined this season. The injured arms include starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, and the relievers include Phillips, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol. Phillips was a key component of the eventual World Series champions' bullpen last year, and he earned 42 saves over the past two seasons. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dodgers trade for struggling Reds reliever Alexis Diaz to help ailing bullpen
Neither Alexis Díaz nor the Los Angeles Dodgers bullpen have met expectations this year, but the team is about to see if a marriage can work. The defending champions acquired the former All-Star closer in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, adding a new arm to one of the most injury-ravaged units in baseball. Going back to the Reds is 2024 13th-round pick Mike Villani. Advertisement Reliever Evan Phillips was also placed on the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, Díaz is not expected to report to the Dodgers immediately, meaning he will likely remain in the minor leagues for now. Alexis Díaz is a reclamation project for the Dodgers The trade would have been a bigger story two years ago. After 2023, Díaz was coming off his first career All-Star season and held a 2.47 ERA in 131 career innings with 47 saves and 169 strikeouts. With a mid-90s fastball and one of baseball's better sliders, he looked like one of MLB's best young relievers. Advertisement Unfortunately, relievers can go from All-Star to out of the big leagues rather quickly. Díaz disappointed in 2024 with a 3.99 ERA, then missed the start of 2025 due to a hamstring strain. When he came back in mid-April, he was unusable, allowing eight earned runs in six innings before Cincinnati demoted him to Triple-A, where he now holds a 4.61 ERA. Will Alexis Diaz be the Dodgers' latest success story? (Photo by) (Dustin Bradford via Getty Images) What went wrong? Well, Díaz's slider went from being a pitch batters were posting a .153 batting average and .225 slugging percentage against in 2023 to .385 and 1.000 this year. Even last season was a warning sign as well, as he went from a 30.1% strikeout rate in 2023 to 22.7% in 2024 to 9.1% in 2025. He just doesn't have an out pitch now. And now, the Reds are giving up on him putting it back together, trading him away for a minor leaguer in Villani who has pitched two career innings in affiliated ball. The Dodgers just need arms now, though While stories like Díaz's often require some tinkering with the new team before he hits the big-league mound, the Dodgers could seemingly use any reliever available these days. Advertisement The Dodgers bullpen was supposed to be one of the best in baseball after they signed Tanner Scott, Blake Treinen and Kirby Yates to more than $100 million in contracts, with Michael Kopech, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips still on the roster, but all of those relievers are on the IL right now save for Scott, who is having his own issues. Scott has blown five saves already this season and had perhaps his worst outing yet on Wednesday, when he blew a two-run lead and was eventually was saddled with four earned runs in a loss to the Cleveland Guardians. As a unit, the Dodgers bullpen currently ranks 17th in MLB with a 3.98 ERA (and first in innings with 239 2/3, as their rotation hasn't been great either). They've been regularly cycling through low-leverage relievers, so if Díaz looks at all usable, they will probably use him, especially with him already holding a 40-man roster spot. Relievers in Díaz's position have found success with the Dodgers before, so it's hard to count him out here.
