A Pastime Under Scrutiny
A recent USA Today investigation has uncovered a disturbing connection between Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Edwin Díaz and an illicit cockfighting operation in Puerto Rico. The report details a series of social‑media advertisements that feature Díaz’s likeness alongside images of roosters locked in combat, posted by a club that markets the sport as entertainment.
Cockfighting, a practice steeped in Puerto Rican history, was outlawed at the federal level in 2019 after animal‑welfare advocates raised concerns over cruelty. Yet the sport persists in many island communities, where it is still regarded as a cultural pastime rather than a criminal activity.
According to the investigation, the same club that ran the ads filed legal challenges seeking to overturn the federal ban, arguing that local customs should be protected. Those lawsuits never succeeded, and the ban remains in force, but the publicity has reignited debate over the line between tradition and illegality.
Díaz himself has spoken about the sport, saying, “It’s a pastime I’ve followed since I was a child. It’s legal in Puerto Rico, thank God. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here.” The pitcher is currently on the injured list after undergoing surgery in late April to address a right‑elbow issue, and neither the Dodgers nor his representatives have responded to requests for comment.
The controversy extends beyond Díaz. Fellow Puerto Rican natives and former MLB players Jose Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr., both celebrated jockeys, have also been linked to cockfighting circles on the island. Díaz’s younger brother Alexis and former catcher Martín Maldonado are similarly named in the reports, painting a picture of a tightly knit community entangled in the sport.
While the practice continues to enjoy a foothold in certain locales, the growing scrutiny from media outlets and federal authorities suggests that the era of unchecked cockfighting may be drawing to a close. Whether the cultural cachet of the sport can survive the spotlight remains an open question.