The Los Angeles Dodgers may soon receive a significant boost to the back end of their bullpen.

Closer Edwin Díaz reached an important milestone in his recovery from elbow surgery by throwing his first live batting practice session since undergoing a procedure to remove loose bodies from his right elbow.

The outing marked another encouraging step in what has been a steady rehabilitation process and keeps the veteran reliever on pace to return soon after the All-Star break.

After successfully facing live hitters before Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres, Díaz is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment in the coming days.

Because the right-hander is preparing for a traditional one-inning relief role, the Dodgers are not expected to require an extended rehab stint before activating him. Assuming he continues progressing without setbacks, his return could come shortly after the midsummer break.

The organization has been encouraged by the progress Díaz has made during bullpen sessions and his latest workout against live competition.

Los Angeles signed Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract during the offseason with the expectation that he would anchor the ninth inning.

His first few weeks with the club, however, were uneven. Although he converted four of his first five save opportunities, he struggled with run prevention during his opening appearances.

At the same time, his fastball velocity dipped noticeably from last season, raising questions about whether something was limiting the veteran closer.

Further evaluation eventually revealed loose bodies in his right elbow, leading the Dodgers to shut him down for surgery. The procedure addressed an issue that had existed for years but had only recently begun affecting his performance.

The Dodgers' relief corps has managed to remain productive despite Díaz's absence, but welcoming an experienced closer back into the mix would strengthen one of baseball's deepest bullpens heading into the second half.

With his recovery continuing to trend in the right direction, Díaz now enters the final stage of his rehabilitation. A successful rehab assignment would clear the way for his return to Los Angeles, giving the Dodgers another high-leverage weapon as they prepare for the stretch run following the All-Star break.

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