The Los Angeles Dodgers could face a massive PR nightmare from LA vegans as star pitcher Edwin Diaz finds himself at the center of a federal animal cruelty scandal.
A USA Today investigation linked the $102 million closer to an illegal cockfighting ring in Puerto Rico through incriminating social media posts and promotional materials.
Edwin Diaz of Team Puerto Rico celebrates a strikeout during a 5-2 win against Team Dominican Republic in their World Baseball Classic Pool D game at loanDepot Park in Miami, Fla., on March 15, 2023. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Despite the federal ban on the blood sport that took effect in 2019, Diaz reportedly appeared in tournament graphics … wearing his official Dodgers uniform. The controversy also took a turn after the discovery of a March 2026 interview with outlet El Nuevo Día in which Díaz openly discussed his family’s involvement in the underground circuit.
Diaz described cockfighting as a pastime he has followed since childhood and confirmed that his family entered four roosters into a recent tournament.
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While cockfighting has long been part of local tradition in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a total federal ban in 2021, making participation a potential federal crime.
But the star reliever known for his “Timmy Trumpets’ intro wasn’t the only high-profile name caught in the crosshairs of the investigation.
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Champion jockeys Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr. were also identified in social media footage tied to the events. According to the report, the Ortiz brothers, who recently dominated the Kentucky Derby, appeared on video collecting cash bets at one of the alleged cockfighting gatherings.
A general view of the centerfield plaza during media day before game one of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 24, 2024. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)
Although no criminal charges have been filed against Diaz, MLB’s personal conduct policy allows the league to impose significant discipline regardless of the legal outcome.
It won’t be long until PETA comes after Major League Baseball and the Dodgers with escalating pressure to respond to allegations involving animal cruelty and illegal gambling.
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For a Dodgers team already resented for buying up baseball with its massive payroll, watching its star closer stroll through a cockfighting pit in full uniform feels tailor-made to ignite outrage back home.
In a city where animal rights are practically civic doctrine and oat milk has a stronger lobby than most politicians, Diaz showing up at a bird fight lands as a direct shot to LA culture.
A wide view of Dodger Stadium during the fourth inning of game two of the 2024 MLB World Series between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Oct. 26, 2024. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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