Edwin Díaz Joins Star-Studded Dodgers Contingent in 2026 WBC Return with Team Puerto Rico
The trumpets are sounding once again-Edwin Díaz is heading back to the World Baseball Classic. The electric closer, known as much for his entrance music as his late-inning dominance, will represent Team Puerto Rico for the third time in his career, becoming the latest Los Angeles Dodger to commit to the 2026 tournament.
Díaz joins a growing list of Dodgers suiting up for their countries this March, including Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Japan, Will Smith for Team USA, and Hyeseong Kim for Korea. That’s a serious collection of talent heading overseas, and Díaz brings both experience and firepower to a Puerto Rican squad still chasing its first WBC title.
This won’t be Díaz’s first rodeo in the red, white, and blue of Puerto Rico. He last pitched in the 2023 WBC, where he looked sharp across two appearances-no runs allowed, four strikeouts, no walks, and a save.
But what should’ve been a triumphant moment turned into a nightmare. After Puerto Rico’s emotional win over the Dominican Republic, Díaz suffered a complete patellar tendon tear in his right knee during the postgame celebration.
That injury sidelined him for the entire 2023 MLB season with the Mets.
Rewind to 2017, and Díaz’s WBC experience was far more productive-and far less painful. He appeared in four games, tossing 5.1 innings with a 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a stingy .143 opponent batting average.
He racked up nine strikeouts against four walks and nailed down two saves. Puerto Rico rode that run all the way to the finals before falling to Team USA at Dodger Stadium.
Despite reaching the championship round in both 2013 and 2017, Puerto Rico is still searching for that elusive WBC crown. They were bounced in the quarterfinals in 2023 by Team Mexico, and they’ll be leaning on veterans like Díaz to help lead the charge this time around.
For Díaz, this WBC appearance comes with a fresh chapter. He’s entering his first season with the Dodgers after inking a record-setting three-year, $69 million deal. That $23 million average annual value is the highest ever for a relief pitcher-a reflection of just how dominant he’s been when healthy.
And last season with the Mets, Díaz was back to his old self. He racked up 28 saves, posted a sparkling 1.63 ERA, and struck out 98 batters over 66.1 innings.
Among relievers who threw at least 50 innings, only Aroldis Chapman had a lower ERA (1.17). That’s elite territory, and it’s no surprise Díaz is already being penciled in as a key late-inning weapon for both the Dodgers and Team Puerto Rico.
Career-wise, Díaz is climbing fast. He’s already sitting at 253 career saves with a 2.82 ERA.
Among active relievers, only Kenley Jansen (476), Craig Kimbrel (440), and Chapman (367) have more saves. At just 31 years old-he turns 32 in March-Díaz still has time to climb even higher on that list.
Roki Sasaki Held Out of WBC by Dodgers
While Díaz is gearing up for international competition, another high-profile Dodger won’t be joining the WBC action. Roki Sasaki, the flame-throwing right-hander from Japan, was initially named to Samurai Japan’s preliminary roster but won’t be on the final list.
The decision wasn’t Sasaki’s to make. After spending significant time on the injured list last season, the Dodgers had the final say-and they opted to keep him stateside.
“I didn’t have a conversation, per se, with the team,” Sasaki said via his interpreter at DodgerFest. “It was really up to the team.
You know, it was really the team that decided. But for me, my mentality is it’s going to be a lot of competition to earn the spot in the rotation, so that’s my mindset going into Spring Training.”
It’s a tough break for Japan, but the Dodgers are clearly prioritizing Sasaki’s health as he prepares for his first full MLB season. With a deep rotation and a long season ahead, they’re playing the long game-and Sasaki’s focus is now squarely on making his mark in Los Angeles.
As the WBC draws near, the Dodgers will be well represented on the global stage. And with Edwin Díaz leading the charge for Puerto Rico, fans can expect more than just trumpet fanfare-they’re getting a closer ready to shut the door on anyone standing in his way.