Dodgers place Edwin Diaz on IL with neck inflammation and Shohei Ohtani throws bullpen

DENVER (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday placed scuffling closer Edwin Diaz on the injured list with inflammation in the right side of his neck while four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani progresses toward a return to the mound.

Diaz, who is 2-2 with an 11.85 ERA and seven saves in 11 opportunities in 16 games in his first season with the Dodgers, returned to Los Angeles on Tuesday and will have imaging on his neck.

“It’s kind of something that he felt (Monday) night,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We don’t know if it’s something that has been there, call it a week or whatever, but it kind of showed its head last night. So we’re going to kind of address it.”

Diaz was on the IL from April 20-July 29 with an elbow injury that required a procedure to remove loose bodies.

He has struggled since his return, going 1-2 with a 15.88 ERA and three blown saves in seven games. Diaz entered Monday night’s win at Colorado with an 11-2 lead in the ninth and allowed three runs on four hits.

“(We) know that there could be a reason why the stuff is not playing like it has in the past,” Roberts said.

Ohtani threw another bullpen session before Tuesday night’s game as he works his way back from left knee inflammation and right biceps discomfort. Roberts said he Ohtani was “around 35 pitches, and threw his entire pitch mix.”

“I asked him about his bullpen; he gave me a thumbs-up, so that was it,” said Roberts, who said Ohtani’s next step would be throwing live batting practice.

The two-way superstar last pitched July 3 against San Diego, when he gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out nine over six innings. He is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts this season.

Ohtani leads Los Angeles with 29 homers.

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