Dodgers to activate closer Edwin Díaz from IL on Wednesday after 3 months out

Edwin Díaz, the most expensive closer in baseball, is about to return to the Los Angeles Dodgers. With hopefully better results this time.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Saturday the team plans to activate Díaz on Wednesday, according to AM 570’s Dave Vassegh. Veteran utility man Kiké Hernández will also reportedly be activated on Tuesday.

Díaz is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City and is scheduled to make one more appearance on Sunday.

Díaz joined the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract in free agency last winter, making him MLB’s highest-paid reliever after a standout career with the New York Mets. The early returns were less than what the Dodgers would have hoped, with seven earned runs allowed in his first six innings.

At 32 years old, Díaz struggled with his control, which wasn’t above average even in the best of times. After seven appearances, the Dodgers shelved him in April due to loose bodies in his elbow.

Since then, the Dodgers have leaned on a resurgent Tanner Scott as their closer, an ironic development given they only signed Díaz after Scott’s struggles in his first season on a similarly large contract. Overall, the team’s bullpen ranks seventh in MLB with a 3.77 ERA.

Díaz and Hernández are two of several names the Dodgers will be hoping to re-introduce in the second half, with starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, reliever Blake Treinen and catcher Will Smith among those waiting in the wings.