Former Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier revealed he did some recruiting work at the MLB Awards, putting the idea of signing with the Dodgers in All-Star closer Edwin Diaz’s head.
Ethier sat next to Diaz at the MLB Awards in November, and spoke to Dodger Talk’s David Vassegh about the nature of their conversation.
“The first thing I said to him was, ‘You’re going to sign with the Dodgers, right?’” Ethier said. “…I sat there for the entire two-hour event and talked up the Dodgers to him the whole time. I don’t know if I had a hand in it or not, but I like to say that I was one of the first ones to go heavy and hard after him that he should be a Dodger.”
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Ethier has a great grasp on how the Dodgers operate, having spent all 12 of his MLB seasons with the organization, and could very well have swayed Diaz towards LA. Through his 12 seasons with the Dodgers, Ethier slashed .285/.359/.463 with 162 home runs and 687 RBIs. He made the All-Star Game in consecutive years in 2010 and 2011, and placed sixth in NL MVP voting in 2009.
Diaz is a huge boost to a Dodgers bullpen which struggled through the final month of the regular season and throughout the postseason, and is sure to have a huge impact upon arrival for the Dodgers. Diaz posted a 1.63 ERA through 62 appearances last season, striking out 98 batters through 66.1 innings. His All-Star Game selection in 2025 marked the first time he had made the Midsummer Classic since missing 2023 with injury.
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The Dodgers will hope Diaz can pick up where he left off as the Dodgers’ closer as they look to become the first team to three-peat since 2000, when the New York Yankees won three straight championships.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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