​Edwin Díaz, the Dodgers pitcher, worked out at Dodger Stadium ahead of a June 16 game versus the Tampa Bay Rays. After throwing live hitters for the first time since elbow surgery in April, Díaz pushed back against questions tying him to illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico. “I’ve done that before because, as the story noted, it’s legal in Puerto Rico,” Díaz said. A USA Today article from May highlighted social media posts promoting cockfighting tournaments featuring Díaz in his Dodgers uniform and cited an El Nuevo Día piece quoting him. Díaz said Major League Baseball has not reached out to discuss a possible suspension. “They didn’t reach out to me because I wasn’t doing anything illegal,” he added.
The issue ties back to Puerto Rico’s 2019 federal cockfighting ban taking effect. Before that, the blood sport was illegal in all 50 states but not in U.S. territories. In response, Puerto Rico passed a law allowing cockfights as long as animals or related goods or services aren’t exported or imported. In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge arguing Congress overstepped its powers by extending the federal ban to Puerto Rico. Those found participating in cockfighting can face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with spectators potentially facing up to a one-year sentence. Some Puerto Ricans continue to view cockfighting as part of the island’s history, dating back to Spanish colonization in the 16th century. “It’s a pastime I’ve followed since I was a child,” Díaz told El Nuevo Día in March. “It’s legal in Puerto Rico, thank God. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.”
Díaz is projected to return to the Dodgers after the All-Star break, though a specific return date hasn’t been set. He reported that his fastball felt solid and that locating his slider would be the next milestone on the road back. Times staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this report. Sign up for more Dodgers coverage with Dodgers Dugout, delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.