Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Edwin Diaz’s return to the mound will be delayed until next week, postponing his anticipated appearance against his former team, the New York Mets. Diaz, who has been on the 60-day injured list since April following surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, is currently completing a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Diaz pitched Wednesday night at the Triple-A level and had a second rehab outing scheduled for Thursday, with a final appearance planned for Sunday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts indicated that successfully pitching on consecutive days would be a key milestone ahead of Diaz’s expected return to the major league roster Tuesday. “We feel very confident right now, if he continues to trend the way he has, the back-to-back would check a box,” Roberts said, adding that Sunday’s outing would put Diaz in a strong position to rejoin the team.

Earlier in the week, there was speculation that Diaz might be activated in time for the Dodgers’ three-game series at Citi Field this weekend, but Roberts’s latest update suggests otherwise. Diaz will not face the Mets this season.

Diaz spent seven seasons with the Mets before opting out of his contract during the offseason and signing a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers. The Mets had reportedly offered a slightly lower deal of three years, $66 million. Diaz’s departure was met with surprise and disappointment among Mets fans. Mets owner Steve Cohen expressed confusion over Diaz’s decision during a February interview but acknowledged it was a personal choice and maintained the Mets made a "respectable bid."

The 32-year-old Diaz appeared in seven games for the Dodgers this season before his injury, recording a 10.50 ERA but successfully converting four of five save opportunities. With the Mets from 2019 through 2025, Diaz posted a 2.93 ERA, recording 144 saves and 538 strikeouts over 328.1 innings. Diaz has cited the Dodgers’ status as a championship contender as a key factor in his decision to join the team.

The Mets, currently enduring injuries and inconsistent performance, have appointed Devin Williams as their closer this season. Williams holds a 4.54 ERA with 14 saves in 17 opportunities, having signed a three-year, $51 million contract.

The absence of Diaz from the Dodgers-Mets series somewhat diminishes what was expected to be one of Major League Baseball’s marquee matchups this season. Both teams carry some of the highest payrolls in the sport—Dodgers at $419.8 million and Mets at $373.7 million—featuring high-profile players including Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman, Francisco Lindor, and Mookie Betts.

On the field, the Dodgers lead MLB with a 65-38 record and are aiming for a historic third consecutive World Series title, a feat not achieved since the late 1990s Yankees. The Mets, meanwhile, hold a 43-60 record and appear likely to become sellers at the upcoming August 3 trade deadline after falling short of playoff contention.

In pitching matchups for the upcoming series, Mets southpaw Sean Manaea (2-5, 4.74 ERA) is slated to face Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki (3-5, 4.98 ERA) in Friday’s opener. Saturday’s game will feature Mets right-hander Nolan McLean (7-6, 3.34 ERA) against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (10-6, 2.78 ERA). Sunday’s matinee will pit Mets starter Freddy Peralta (5-9, 5.01 ERA) against Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan (4-7, 5.13 ERA), a New York native.

Notably, Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani will not pitch in the series due to a knee issue, currently serving only as the team’s designated hitter.