The New York Mets suffered a major loss when Edwin Diaz was lost for the season during a celebration in the World Baseball Classic. Well, about that…
It turns out that Diaz could return to the Mets earlier than expected. Diaz told SNYtv that not only is he “feeling great,” but if the tests come back positively, he could be throwing this year.
Edwin Diaz could be answer for New York Mets down the stretch
The Mets have been able to survive without Diaz. David Robertson has been lights out in the ninth innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six over his five innings entering Wednesday. He has plenty of experience as a closer over his career, with 159 career saves and three seasons where he saved more than 30 games.
But Robertson is not the same sort of pitcher as Diaz. He has established himself as one of the best relievers in the game, an almost automatic win when he enters in the ninth inning. He had posted a stellar 1.31 ERA and a 0.839 WHiP over his 62 innings last year, notching 32 saves while striking out 118 batters with 18 walks. His performance went a long way to the Mets return to the postseason.
A potential return could go a long way towards the Mets’ hopes for this season. They still have championship aspirations despite his absense from the bullpen. If Diaz continues to make progress, and can actually return before the end of the season, he could be that bullpen addition needed to make 2023 special. At this point, there is no reason to count Diaz out.
Edwin Diaz said he could return at some point in 2023. If he can continue his progress, the New York Mets could have an unexpected boost to the bullpen.
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