What the Alexis Diaz trade means for the Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers might have pulled a fast one once again.

According to sources, the Dodgers have acquired hard-throwing reliever Alexis Diaz from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Mike Villani, a 13th-round pick from their 2024 draft class.

On paper, this is textbook Dodgers: take a high-upside, electric-armed closer and plug him into a machine that just keeps humming. Diaz, 28, the younger brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, was an All-Star in 2023, saving 37 games with a 3.07 ERA and 86 strikeouts across 67.1 innings. 

In four seasons with Cincinnati, he’s compiled 75 saves and a 3.21 ERA, including his rough 2025 of a 12.00 ERA in six appearances before being sent down to Triple-A. His wipeout slider and rising fastball once made him one of the NL’s most feared relievers.

So, why would the Dodgers, known for calculated, value-based moves, roll the dice on a reliever who’s looked shaky of late? Simply, the upside is there.

Díaz still has the stuff — it just needs fine-tuning. And if there’s any organization equipped to help a pitcher rediscover his form, it’s the Dodgers. If Diaz regains his 2022–23 form, he could become a critical bullpen piece in October.

The deal is bold, slightly puzzling and undeniably Dodgers. It might fizzle out, or it might just be the kind of stealth move we look back on as the turning point in their playoff run to help Los Angeles repeat as World Series Champions.