The controversy around Edwin Díaz escalated in recent days after animal rights organizations formally asked MLB to investigate the Dodgers closer for alleged links to cockfighting in Puerto Rico.

However, before the public accusations broke out, the Puerto Rican reliever had already spoken openly about his relationship with this practice in an interview given last March to the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día.

Now, those statements returned to the center of the debate after the pressure exerted by animal groups on Major League Baseball.

The organizations that ask to investigate Edwin Díaz

The controversy gained momentum after Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy sent a letter to Commissioner Rob Manfred Jr. requesting a formal investigation into the Puerto Rican pitcher.

According to the organizations, there are photographs, promotional publications, videos and journalistic reports that link Edwin Díaz with cockfighting events in Puerto Rico.

In addition, they asked MLB to determine whether the reliever engaged in conduct that could be considered harmful to the image of baseball and demanded possible sanctions if any violation of league policies is proven.

So far, there are no criminal charges against the player and neither the Dodgers nor MLB have issued an official position on the case.

Edwin Díaz's statements that have now gone viral again

Amid the controversy, the interview that Díaz gave to El Nuevo Día in March 2026 resurfaced, several months before the recent accusations.

In that report, the pitcher spoke about his connection with cockfighting and explained that it was a tradition that he had known since he was a child.

"It is a hobby that I have followed since I was a child. It is legal in Puerto Rico, thank God," declared the Puerto Rican closer during that interview.

The publication also showed images of Díaz inside a gallistic coliseum in Isla Verde during a day off from the World Baseball Classic. The report also indicated that members of his family participated by bringing roosters to the tournament held that day.

The situation comes at a difficult time for the Dodgers closer

The case adds pressure to an already complicated season for Edwin Díaz, who has barely been active in 2026 after undergoing surgery on his right elbow in April.

The reliever arrived at the Dodgers with high expectations after signing a $69 million contract for three seasons, so any possible MLB investigation could increase scrutiny over his public image and his future with the Los Angeles organization.

Meanwhile, expectations are growing among fans and analysts about whether Major League Baseball will apply its personal conduct policy, especially due to the media impact that the case has generated.

Wayne Pacelle launched strong accusations against the reliever

Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy, was especially critical of the Puerto Rican pitcher.

“Mr. Díaz is knowingly violating the law and participating in violent crimes and illegal gambling,” Pacelle said. "MLB would not ignore someone involved in dogfighting, organized crime and illegal gambling facilitated by criminal associations. His participation in illegal cockfighting in Puerto Rico involves crimes of the same magnitude."

The statements further increased pressure on the Dodgers reliever, whose case could be under review by the commissioner's office if MLB decides to intervene.

Are cockfights legal in Puerto Rico?

The debate over cockfighting in Puerto Rico continues to be complex due to the clash between cultural tradition and US federal legislation.

Although the activity was regulated and widely practiced on the island for decades, in 2019 the United States Congress extended the federal ban on animal fighting to all US territories, including Puerto Rico.

Subsequently, the United States Supreme Court left this prohibition in force by rejecting legal appeals promoted by sectors linked to the Puerto Rican poultry industry.

Despite this, cockfights continue to have support among some sectors of Puerto Rico that consider the practice part of the island's cultural tradition, keeping open a social and legal debate that has now also reached one of the best-known Puerto Rican figures in MLB.