The World Baseball Classic is right around the corner. Teams are finalizing their rosters, and there are some hurdles that need to be jumped. Insurance is causing plenty of problems for multiple countries, which means some star players are being held out. But Edwin Diaz, the new closer for the Los Angeles Dodgers, has made his decision on the World Baseball Classic.
In 2023, Diaz was the closer for Puerto Rico. In that tournament, the right-hander suffered a season-ending knee injury after celebrating a win. It was a freak accident, but it served as a warning to all teams about what injuries in the World Baseball Classic could mean for a season.
Still, many stars want to suit up and represent their country. For 2026, Diaz has made his decision on whether or not he will participate. And despite his unfortunate injury in 2023, the All-Star closer will play for Puerto Rico this year, per an announcement from MLB.
Edwin Diaz in the 2023 World Baseball Classic
GettyEdwin Diaz will suit up for Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic this year.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic was a lot of fun. After a little bit of a hiatus, the 2023 tournament breathed life back into the tournament. Puerto Rico is always a very competitive team. In the last WBC, Puerto Rico finished as runner-ups in their pool (behind Venezuela), but lost in the quarterfinals to Mexico.
Diaz hurt himself during pool play, which was a big loss for Puerto Rico. The then-29-year-old made two appearances, threw two innings, recorded one save, and struck out four batters. He did not allow a hit or a run in either of his games pitched.
There is no doubt that Diaz might have been able to help Puerto Rico advance past the quarterfinals in 2023 if he had not gotten injured. The closer will look to help his home country advance further this year, while staying healthy.
Puerto Rico will open up the World Baseball Classic as the host country for Pool A. Their first pitch will come on March 6th against an underrated Team Colombia.
Diaz’s Role on the Dodgers
GettyEdwin Diaz will slot into the closer role for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have a loaded pitching staff. They will return plenty of arms from their World Series run, and some starters will have to be pushed to the bullpen. As for true relievers, Los Angeles will have Blake Treinen, Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Will Klein.
Now, Scott led the team last season in saves with 23. However, he also had 10 blown saves. A save percentage below 70% is one of the main reasons the Dodgers signed Diaz.
Last year, Diaz finished 28-for-31 on save opportunities. He threw 66.1 innings, allowed just 37 hits, struck out 98 batters, and finished with a 1.63 ERA. That excellent stat line earned him a trip to the All-Star game for the third time in his career. It also earned him the National League Reliever of the Year award, for the third time.
As for his role on the Dodgers, Diaz will slide right into the closer spot. He is one of the best closers in the MLB, and Los Angeles will win plenty of close games because of him.
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