New York Mets: Edwin Diaz meets with Steve Cohen before meeting with former team
Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz will meet with Mets owner Steve Cohen before his first game against his former team on April 13, 2026 in Los Angeles.
MLB pitcher Edwin Diaz appears to have made little effort to hide his long-standing involvement in illegal cockfighting in his native Puerto Rico prior to May 15th.
The Facebook page of Edwin O. Diaz LaBoy, believed to belong to the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, has about a dozen videos of cockfights. Some of the birds stopped moving and fought until they were forced out of the hole in the arena.
A federal ban bans cockfighting in all 50 states and U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico. USA TODAY Sports reviewed publicly available photos and videos of Diaz, the roosters, and cockfights posted to his Facebook account on May 15. Other posts to the account were locked from publication. After that, public access to the photos and reels appears to have been restricted.
In addition to photos and videos of Diaz pitching, smiling with family and friends, and promoting community activities, the account posted more than 150 photos of roosters, cockfighting clubs, breeding facilities, and more. One photo shows a rooster stuffed in a cardboard box, his head poking out through a cutout above a small feeding dish taped to the box.
The account also includes 26 reels featuring roosters fighting in organized matches. Other videos show Diaz holding a rooster in what appears to be a breeding facility where multiple videos have advertised upcoming cockfights.
In one video, a young-looking rooster runs around what appears to be an enclosure. The caption accompanying the video reads, “Future champions are in development.”
Photos and videos posted to Diaz’s account date back to 2010. The first photo of a rooster was posted on November 30, 2016, and the account’s first promotion of the cockfighting club, Club Galistico de Puerto Rico, was posted on July 31, 2018. Diaz has appeared in several videos and photos posted on social media promoting the cockfighting ring.
Diaz’s full name is Edwin Orlando Diaz Laboy. The Dodgers announced on April 20 that the player underwent surgery to remove a loose body in his right elbow on April 22, and is currently on injured reserve.
Contacted by USA TODAY Sports about an article linking Diaz to Puerto Rican cockfighting through photos, videos and promotional material found on social media, MLB and Dodgers representatives declined to comment.
Since the article was published, multiple animal rights groups have called on MLB to investigate Diaz’s involvement in cockfighting.
Diaz, a three-time MLB All-Star, is pictured wearing a Dodgers uniform on Facebook in promotional materials for cockfights.
A Dodgers spokesperson and THE TEAM representing Diaz did not respond to interview requests submitted by USA TODAY Sports.
The Facebook page also features a photo of Díaz standing between Puerto Rican jockeys Jose Ortiz and Irado Ortiz Jr., which has also been linked to cockfighting through photos, videos and promotional materials on social media.
Jose Ortiz won the Kentucky Derby on May 2nd in Golden Tempo, and Irad Ortiz took second in Renegade. The brothers are top jockeys in thoroughbred racing, and both are scheduled to ride in the Preakness Stakes on May 16th.
This development story will be updated.
