CINCINNATI — Alexis Diaz got used to trotting in from the bullpen at Great American Ball Park to all the pomp that comes with being a closer, lights flashing and “Matador” by Marnik and Miami Blue thumping from the stadium speakers.
When he came trotting in from the other bullpen Tuesday night, all he heard was boos.
“To be honest, ever since they (the Dodgers) called me back up that I was going to rejoin the team, I knew I might have a chance to face them,” Diaz said in Spanish. He saved 75 games for the Cincinnati Reds from 2022 to 2024 but lost his job and was demoted to Triple-A before being traded to the Dodgers in May. “I was really excited to be honest and happy to be back again in the stadium and see the organization and team that gave me the opportunity in the big leagues. For that, I’ll always be thankful to them for the opportunity. I was excited to be here.”
The Reds fans were less excited to see him, which surprised Diaz.
“Honestly I was relaxed. I expected something different,” he said. “For those years I was here, I pitched really well and I was liked during that time. So to see that, it surprised me a lot. But I stayed calm and with a relaxed mindset and confidence that I was going to do my job.”
Diaz lost his job in Cincinnati and wound up in Arizona at the Dodgers’ training complex where the Dodgers’ player development and pitching coaches had some idea about how to recover the velocity and effectiveness that had drained away over the past two years.
Diaz’s arm slot had dropped significantly and the Dodgers wanted him to drive toward home plate more with his hips.
“They were trying different ideas. First they were telling me to lower my glove (below my belt) when I was working with the strength coach in Arizona,” Diaz said. “We were thinking, coming up with suggestions. I told the pitching coach in Arizona that I wanted to move like how Corbin Burnes (does). I looked and it seemed perfect, so I could raise my arm to my chest – which, during my good years, I raised my glove to my chest and my arm was on time.”
Like Burnes, Diaz now starts with his glove position at his front hip. That was the trigger to make both corrections.
“Since I went to Arizona, we worked quickly. I threw my first live BP with my normal mechanics,” Diaz said. “Then after a couple days, they moved the glove to the front. I threw a live BP, pitched really well and they sent me to Triple-A and it’s been better from there. … The fastball, you can see that it’s similar to that (2022) season. It’s really good. My arm is on top of the ball, and the stuff looks like that year.”
Diaz has made three appearances for the Dodgers so far, allowing two hits and striking out two in 3⅓ scoreless innings. The fastball velocity hasn’t come back yet. He has averaged 93.1 mph in his short time with the Dodgers after sinking to 93.9 mph with the Reds last season.
“I think that was personal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Diaz’s scoreless outing in Tuesday’s game. “The stuff, the fastball, the slider, all that stuff was big … I think a lot of adrenaline, coming back to a place, being welcomed by boos, I think was a little bit more motivation.”
K RATIONS
With 35 strikeouts in the three-game series in Cincinnati, the Dodgers struck out 226 times this month. Only three teams have struck out more often in July.
“I’ve noticed it,” Roberts said. “I still think that within all the strikeouts that we’re having, I still think that I’m seeing a lot better at-bats (recently). The byproduct of some of those at-bats have been strikeouts, but I still feel the overall at-bat quality is better than it has been the last few weeks.”
Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani have led the way in strikeouts with 31 each this month. Ohtani struck out four times Tuesday and has hit just .188 in his past 26 games through Wednesday.
For the season, Ohtani has struck out 130 times and could threaten his career-high 189 during the 2021 season.
“I think there were times last year where I feel I saw more check-down swings, and the ability to get a base hit to left field to drive in a run, or when facing a tough left-handed pitcher, to check down to see the ball a little bit longer, to get a knock the other way, where I’m just not seeing that as much,” Roberts said. “It’s sort of all or nothing. It’s a big swing. And I think for me … yeah, when you’re taking big swings, you’re certainly opening yourself up to more chase. That’s probably the biggest adjustment I’ve seen, or the biggest reason for the punch.”
REHAB CONTINUES
Max Muncy was in the lineup at third base for the second consecutive day with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Muncy went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a throwing error on defense Tuesday in the first game of his rehab assignment.
“He got through it. Three at-bats. Uneventful,” Roberts said of Tuesday’s report.
“My hope is we get him early next week.”
Muncy has been out since July 2 with a bone bruise in his left knee. He was 0 for 2 with a walk and two strikeouts on Wednesday, playing five innings at third base.
UP NEXT
The Dodgers are off Thursday.
Dodgers (LHP Clayton Kershaw, 4-2, 3.62 ERA) at Rays (TBA), Friday, 4:35 p.m., SportsNet LA, MLB Network (out of market only), 570 AM