Addressing for the first time a report from earlier this season that linked him to cockfighting in his native Puerto Rico, Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz said Sunday that he had not engaged in any illegal activity and that he has not heard from MLB officials regarding the situation.
“I’m concentrated to help this team to win, concentrated to be back ready as soon as possible,” Díaz said, shortly after facing hitters in live batting practice for the first time since an April procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow.
“I’m not thinking too much about that,” he added of the cockfighting report. “That’s a past story.”
In a USA Today story published in May, Díaz was linked to allegedly illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico, revealed to have been photographed at a cockfighting club and had his image featured in promotional material from the establishment.
Since 2019, cockfighting has been broadly banned in all U.S. territories — including Puerto Rico. However, local government officials there have attempted to create legal carve-outs for the practice, which is a centuries-old tradition on the island.
“Like I said in the story, that’s legal in Puerto Rico,” Díaz reiterated.
Such cultural complexities had made any investigation by MLB into the matter believed to be unlikely. The Dodgers’ $69 million offseason signing was not worried about any future repercussions, either.
“[The league] didn’t reach out to me because I wasn’t doing nothing illegal,” Díaz said. “At the end of the day, I’m looking to help this team to win.”
Out since undergoing his elbow procedure in April, Díaz has been making steady progress in his throwing program in recent weeks, with Sunday’s live batting practice session marking his biggest milepost yet.
“It felt great,” Díaz said. “Finally back on the mound, throwing, it feels really good. Was throwing good pitches. So it’s a good step.”
Manager Dave Roberts said Díaz will go out on a minor-league rehab assignment soon, and that he remains on track to return shortly after the All-Star break.
The 32-year-old had struggled through his elbow issue earlier this year, posting a 10.50 ERA in his first seven appearances with the team before his loose-bodies issue was diagnosed.
But now, just like with the cockfighting story, he is confident such struggles are behind him.
“I feel really good,” he said. “I feel way better than early in the season.”
