Let the trumpets blare again.
Three months after undergoing a surgical procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow, Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz was officially added back to the team’s active roster on Wednesday, getting activated off the injured list as expected to provide a boost to the club’s recently scuffling bullpen.
Díaz’s return marks something of a reset for the 32-year-old right-hander, who posted a 10.50 ERA in seven appearances with the club at the start of the season.
During that time, however, the $69 million offseason signing complained of knee discomfort, then felt elbow pain during an April 19 outing against the Rockies that led to his loose-body diagnosis.
It was not the start he or the team envisioned for his Dodgers tenure.
But it will all be forgotten with a strong finish to this season.
Without Díaz — or his iconic trumpet-filled entrance to games that he brought with him from his time with the Mets — the Dodgers’ bullpen has been largely solid, albeit increasingly shaky lately.
Since a franchise-record 38-inning scoreless streak from the unit was snapped on May 25, Dodgers relievers have posted a 4.98 ERA since, eighth worst in the majors during that stretch.
Díaz’s injury tested the depth of the Dodgers’ late-game options, with left-hander Tanner Scott sliding into a de facto closer role. Scott went 16 of 18 in his save opportunities. However, finding alternative middle relievers to build a bridge to the ninth inning has been more of a challenge, especially amid recent scuffles from Will Klein, Jack Dreyer and Evan Phillips (in his return from Tommy John surgery).
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Those issues have made the bullpen a potential area of need for the Dodgers ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.
However, Díaz’s return also figured to represent their biggest midseason reinforcement.
Before this year, the 32-year-old had been one of the best closers in baseball. A three-time All-Star and two-time Reliever of the Year award winner, Díaz has 257 career saves and a 2.91 ERA in 10 big-league seasons.
