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The Dodgers acquired pitcher Alexis Diaz, the younger brother of Mets closer Edwin Diaz, from the Reds in a deal first reported by The Post’s Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman. The trade sends Los

Angeles’ 2024 draft pick, Mike Villani, to Cincinnati in return as part of the deal.  The deal ends Diaz’s time with the Reds after a tumultuous start to the year in which he was optioned

to Triple-A Louisville and recorded a 4.61 ERA in 14 games in the minors this season.  EXPLORE MORE The Dodgers moved Evan Phillips to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man

roster for Díaz, with the plan is for Diaz to report to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to The Athletic.  The addition of Diaz provides depth for a Dodgers team decimated by pitching

injuries, with 14 hurlers on the IL. Diaz had been on the Reds’ injured list to start the 2025 season due to a left hamstring strain and eventually returned to appear in six games, but

struggled immensely, giving up eight earned runs in six innings of work.  He only struck out three batters during that stretch and walked five before the Reds sent him down to Triple-A on

May 1.  Consistency has been a problem in the minors still, despite showing flashes of what made him an All-Star in 2023.  Diaz struck out a career-best 86 batters in 67 1/3 innings pitched

in 2023 while recording a 3.07 ERA.  He still recorded solid numbers in 2024 when he had a 3.99 ERA in 56 1/3 innings pitched for the Reds before things took a turn in 2025.  Villani was

taken with a 13th-round pick by the Dodgers out of Long Beach State during last year’s draft and made his pro debut this season, throwing two innings in the Arizona Complex League, where he

struck out five batters.  He is currently on the seven-day injured list.