By admin 
Los Angeles Dodgers right-handed pitcher Edwin Díaz addressed reports from March out of Puerto Rico that he participated in cockfighting, which is illegal in the United States and its territories.
Read more Chris Gotterup rallies with 62 to win John Deere, third title of ’26
Díaz said to reporters on Sunday that he “wasn’t doing anything illegal” and that he has not heard from MLB regarding the situation.
“I wasn’t doing nothing illegal. So they didn’t reach to me,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I’m looking to help this team to win.”
Edwin Díaz said he hasn’t heard from MLB after the USA Today report earlier this year linking him to cockfighing in PR:
“I wasn’t doing nothing illegal. So they didn’t reach to me. But at the end of the day, I’m looking to help this team to win.”
– Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 5, 2026
Díaz was one of three Puerto Rican athletes (along with jockeys Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr.)identified in a USA Today report in March for being connected to a cockfighting event on the island.
Díaz signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers in December. In February, he was depicted in two separate Facebook ads for a cockfighting event that month in Puerto Rico.
“A tribute to the Puerto Rican star and cockfighter Edwin ‘Sugar’ Díaz,” reads the text of one ad.
El Nueva Dia, a newspaper in Puerto Rico, published a separate story in March with a photo showing Díaz standing in the pit of a cockfighting arena.
The Facebook ads remained online even after the USA Today report stirred controversy around Díaz’s connection to the cockfighting rings. It’s an appropriate reflection of the dichotomy between the federal cockfighting ban and the cavalier attitude toward enforcing it on the island.
Read more FIFA overturned USMNT star Folarin Balogun’s suspension vs. Belgium. Was Trump involved?
Opponents of the federal animal fighting ban in Puerto Rico assert it undermines local culture, reflects Congressional overreach and hurts the territory’s economy. A 2019 study estimated that cockfighting in Puerto Rico employs 27,000 people, and its ban would cause an economic loss of $407,160,000.
Díaz, 32, is in his first season with the Dodgers. He’s spent most of the year on the injured list, recovering from a procedure to remove loose bodies in his right elbow.
Before the injury, Díaz was 1-0 with a 10.50 ERA in seven games. He struck out 10 batters in six innings, and had converted four of his five save opportunities.
Edwin Díaz was in good spirits after facing hitters, saying he feels good to go on a rehab assignment and is ready once the Dodgers clear it. Doesn’t have an exact timetable but his return could come relatively soon after the ASB. https://t.co/GuaSSfoNq1
– Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) July 5, 2026
Díaz faced live hitters at Dodger Stadium on Sunday prior to their game against the San Diego Padres. He told reporters afterward that he would be confident heading out on a minor league rehabilitation assignment if and when he is allowed to do so by the Dodgers.
He’s expected to return sometime after the All-Star break.
Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.
Today’s best reads
- Dodgers Demote Outfielder, Activate Teoscar Hernandez From Injured List
- Dodgers Reportedly Not Interested in Tarik Skubal Trade Ahead of Deadline
- Dodgers Notes: Shohei Ohtani Injury Update, LA Demotes Catcher, Starting Pitcher Could Lose Job
- Dodgers’ Edwin Diaz Announces Exciting Injury Update, Reveals Return Timeline
- Dodgers Hope ‘Mental Reset’ Fixes Kyle Tucker Amid Career-Worst Season
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Edwin Díaz Breaks Silence on Cockfighting Report Ahead of Dodgers Return.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Read more Neymar Shows Terrible Sportsmanship As Brazil Loses to Norway
This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 3:01 PM.