Edwin Díaz had longed for this, and so had the New York Mets.
Ever since he tore up a knee during a postgame celebration of a Puerto Rico win at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the New York Mets closer had been coddled. He missed an entire season and had to rebuild his skill and stamina.
With the Mets fighting for a playoff berth and the regular season about to start its final week, manager Carlos Mendoza brought in the 30-year-old right-hander to start the eighth inning against the top of the Philadelphia Phillies' batting order on Sunday night. And then he left in Díaz to pitch the ninth.
“We’ve been protecting him the whole year and now it’s big boys time,” Mendoza said.
Díaz stranded Trea Turner at third when Alec Bohm grounded out in the eighth and Bryson Stott at third when Kody Clemens struck out in the ninth, preserving a 2-1 win. Díaz's second career six-out save was his first since Aug. 4, 2022.
”What we’ve seen lately with him, he’s just 2022,” Mendoza said.
A Mets team six games back of a wild card on May 29 after a 22-33 start surged into the second NL wild card on a tiebreaker over Arizona. The Mets are two games ahead of the Braves heading into a three-game series at Atlanta starting Tuesday.
“I’ve been throwing the fastball the way I want to. My slider is coming on really good," Díaz said. “Early in the season, I wasn't playing the way that everyone was expecting. Now I'm coming out and closing games. When they give me the ball, I’m doing my job.”
A two-time All-Star, Díaz has 20 saves in 26 chances and six in a row since allowing Corbin Carroll's eighth-inning grand slam in an 8-5 loss at Arizona on Aug. 28. Díaz thew 17 pitches in a four-out save that finished Saturday's 6-3 win and 30 more on Sunday.
“You protect him the whole year. Early on you stay away from back-to-backs, three out of four, because of situations like this so when we do need them, they're going to be ready to go,” Mendoza said. “He’s coming off a major injury, missed a whole year, struggled at the beginning, had a rough and a tough month of May, but he’s an elite closer. He’s one of the best in the game.”
Díaz allowed a tying home run to Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena on May 5, then wasted a two-run lead against Philadelphia on May 13 when Byson Stott homered leading off the ninth and Díaz forced in the tying run by hitting Alec Bohm with a pitch. Thee days later, Stott hit a tying single off Díaz, and on May 25 Díaz gave up a tying single to San Francisco's LaMonte Wade Jr.
Díaz was sidelined until June 13 with right shoulder impingement. He gave up a go-ahead, two-run single to Pittsburgh's Nick Gonzales on July 7 before starting to get into a rhythm.
“I’m so, so proud of him because it's taken a lot of mental toughness to do what he’s done," said Brandon Nimmo, whose tiebreaking, sixth-inning homer put the Mets ahead on Sunday.
Díaz threw a called third strike past Kyle Schwarber starting the eighth and gave up a lofted single to Trea Turner, who stole second. He struck out Bryce Harper on a high, inside fastball and, after Turner stole third, retired Bohm to finish a 12-pitch inning.
When Díaz reached the dugout, Mendoza told the pitcher he would go back out for the ninth. Díaz paced the clubhouse and drank water, trying to stay hot.
He retired Nick Castellanos on a flyout opening the ninth and walked Stott, who swiped second. Díaz struck out J.T. Realmuto on a fastball and two sliders, the last as Stott stole third. The Mets caught a break when catcher Francisco Alvarez's throw hit the base and dropped near third baseman Mark Vientos instead of skipping into left field.
After Brandon Marsh walked, Mendoza went to the mound, partly to remind Díaz that Marsh would steal second. But also to monitor the mindset.
“I just wanted to make sure that he was feeling good because I was pushing him,” Mendoza said.
Díaz struck out Clemens on a 98.3 mph pitch for his 20th save in 26 chances, screamed and pumped his arms. He was back in his element.
"I got to be ready every single day," he said.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ronald Blum, The Associated Press
