Mets closer Edwin Diaz underwent successful surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee this afternoon, the team announced. The general timeline for recovery is around eight months, although in certain cases it’s possible to return in closer to six months. The team is not providing a specific timeline for Diaz’s return for the time being. He and doctors will formulate a rehab program next week. SNY’s Andy Martino first tweeted that Diaz was dealing with an injury to his patellar tendon.
Diaz closed out Wednesday’s World Baseball Classic quarterfinal matchup pitting his native Puerto Rico against the Dominican Republic with a scoreless frame. He was injured during the subsequent celebration. Diaz was helped to his feet by teammates and trainers before eventually being placed in a wheelchair and taken off the field.
It’s a devastating loss for the Mets and the worst fear of any team allowing a star player to participate in the World Baseball Classic. Diaz was baseball’s most dominant reliever in 2022, punching out a comical 50.2% of his opponents en route to a 1.31 ERA and 32 saves. It was his second sub-2.00 ERA of the past three seasons — the first came in just 25 2/3 frames during the shortened 2020 campaign — and a strong enough showing to convince the Mets to re-sign the 28-year-old fireballer on a record-setting five-year, $102MM deal just one day after the 2022 World Series concluded.
With Diaz sidelined for what could be the entire season, the Mets’ bullpen will instead lean on veterans like David Robertson and Adam Ottavino in the late innings. New York was already set to experience a good bit of turnover after seeing Seth Lugo, Trevor May, Mychal Givens, Joely Rodriguez and Trevor Williams depart as free agents. None from that bunch, of course, is as impactful a loss as that of Diaz. His absence will place a strain on the relief corps as a whole and perhaps spur the Mets to explore the market to bring in some bullpen help from outside the organization.
The free-agent market has been largely picked over, though former All-Star Zack Britton remains unsigned and the Mets (perhaps not coincidentally) attended a workout he held for teams earlier today, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. There aren’t any impact relievers known to be available via trade at the moment, though the Mets could always try to pry a high-end reliever away from a rebuilding club like the Pirates (David Bednar) or Royals (Scott Barlow). More likely, the Mets will ride veteran arms like Robertson and Ottavino through the season’s early stages and revisit the market for bullpen additions this summer, when the supply of available arms will be considerably larger.
From a payroll vantage point, it’s worth emphasizing that players who participate in the World Baseball Classic are covered under an insurance policy regardless of the severity of their injury, as Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times reported back in February. Insurance, or lack thereof, is the reason that Clayton Kershaw did not participate in this year’s tournament, as his injury history was deemed too high-risk to be covered under the umbrella policy. Kershaw looked into taking out a personal insurance policy but ultimately announced that he would not be a part of Team USA.
The insurance coverage is a silver lining for the Mets, but given owner Steve Cohen’s apparently limitless appetite for spending, likely only a small one. The broader concern is the subtraction of one of baseball’s most talented pitchers from a roster that’s expected to vie for a title in one of baseball’s most competitive divisions. The Mets are joined by the 2021 World Series champion Braves and 2022 NL champion Phillies in the National League East, and they’ll now be without both Diaz and lefty Jose Quintana (out until at least July) for significant periods of time — quite likely the whole season for Diaz — as they look to capture their first division crown since 2015.
I hate to be Diaz that says it, but is this game over for the Mets?
Good luck and have a speedy recovery.
This sucks
@bigredmachine35
At least he got to celebrate.
All for a silly little tournament. Can’t imagine how angry Mets fans must be.
Horrible news.
Ottavino is up
Welp…
Ouch.
Both literally and figuratively.
nypost.com/2023/03/16/francisco-lindors-wife-edwin…
Katia Lindor thinks fans shouldn’t worry about Diaz missing time, it’s more important to consider his family and how it affects them. Lol
“Can people stop worrying about the Mets season for one second and worry about his health and family instead?” Katia, the “Un-a-Parent” podcast host, wrote beneath SNY’s post. “They’re people too (regardless of his paycheck since I know someone always brings that up) and they’re going through a rough time.
=================================
I am absolutely NOT concerned about his family or his health. This is a facet of sports. It’s why someone like this will earn $100M+ in his career. Injuries occur all the time. My friends and I have all broken stuff while playing.
And there have been far worse injuries that players have had to deal with. And there have been injuries to players that haven’t had the opportunity to land a big contract.
@JoeBrady Now do you understand why Manny Machado’s opt-out clause could only hurt the Padres? They could have had him for 6/$180m or traded him to some other team for all of that team’s best prospects. Instead, they had to tack 5 years and $170m onto his deal to get him to stay.
im not a mets fan JOEBRADY,but lets worry about his health?he gets to get surgery,then go home and prop his leg up and collect big fat paychecks every two weeks.ILL TAKE A BAD BROKEN SMASHED KNEE RIGHT NOW FOR 100mil.he will live and be fine.however this scews the mets.
Lol. I’d take a smashed up knee for 100,000.
Hers is an important point, but his family gets to cash a $20 million paycheck so somehow I think they will be okay. Plus, they get to have Dad around all summer instead of having him less than half the time.
Pretty sure he is guaranteed $100 mil regardless. I’ve had my knee scoped and scraped for far less.
It’s not like this is a life threatening or even a career threatening injury.
When something happens to a players heart, or brain, or has some sort of life threatening (or severely life altering) injury then of course the primary concern should be the players health.
And if it’s a situation like Michael Conforto, who suffers a significant injury right before they can sign a big free agent contract? Not as concerned as I am for the player who may die, but yeah I’d feel a little bad for the guy.
But an arm or leg that requires surgery but which will in all likelihood return to normal? For a guy who just signed a fully guaranteed, record breaking contract.
Nope, I’m thinking about how the team can fill the void, and trying to do the math to figure out if there is any shot he can pitch this season.
Uhhhhh…he’s GUARANTEED $20 million a year for the next 5 years. I think he and the family will be just fine. She must be under the impression that he won’t get paid while rehabbing from surgery. He gets the 100 mil whether he pitches or not. So I think they can weather this storm.
I’m not surprised that the clown who gave his own fans the thumbs down would marry someone with equally terrible takes.
Was thinking the same thing. Their world is different, and far more insulated, than ours.
Will he still get paid since he wasn’t playing for the mets?
I was wondering the same thing
There’s no clause in his contract that voids his salary for playing in the WBC.
Nor would there be since it’s sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) in partnership with Major League Baseball.
Yes he gets paid
Cohen could have forbade him to play. He didn’t. Edwin still gets paid.
No Cohen couldn’t forbid him to play even though the WBC was an obvious risk. Buck Showalter even spoke to Yadier Molina about delicately handling his workload and not to use him on back to back days.
Why does eveyone keep saying the WBC is so risky? Players get injured in spring training games all the time too.
Yeah. It’s baseball, just like in the majors. It isn’t like they put traffic spikes between first and second to cut down steals, or they put quicksand on the base paths or make the OFers play without gloves. It’s the same rules as MLB baseball, pre-manfred.
@Von: Is that true? I thought it was in the CBA that teams could not refuse to let their players play in the WBC.
I suppose not officially, but certain players commented that they were encouraged not to participate. It has been reported that Severino was not given permission by Cashman to play for example.
essentiallysports.com/mlb-baseball-news-luis-sever…
“Player participation in off-season Events will be purely vol-
untary; however, the Association will encourage Player participa-
tion in these Events. The Office of the Commissioner will
encourage Clubs to give consent for their Players to participate in
these Events.”
I can’t find anything more specific to this WBC but the 2017 event was listed in the previous CBA as an International Play Event and subject to the above. It seems to suggest teams do have a right-of-refusal.
And… Severino is hurt anyway.. Good grief, he’s made of glass.
do the fans get reimbursed for season tickets after this?
wheres the insurance for that.
like some car accident.
Bingo. Nope!
This is a very very sad turn of events. The celebration certainly extreme …. just such a terrible freak accident. Thoughts and prayers sent for a quick recovery.
Another Mets pitcher? What is going on??!
This hurts to hear, sorry Mets fans
Ottavino and Robertson, it’s your time to shine. Mets are still a playoff time despite this bummer news.
Mets 40 man roster is really a 40 yo roster with Verlander & Scherzer as the 2 front SPs and Ottavino & Robertson at the back end. LOL
Who peed in your corn flakes? The Mets’ infield should be in place for the foreseeable future with Alonso, McNeil, Lindor, and, eventually, Baty. Next year, Cohen will open the vault for Ohtani. The pitching staff will be ok. Alvarez will eventually be the catcher.
It isn’t necessary for a closer to throw 100 mph to be effective. The Sox had Colome who wasn’t a fire baller but in season I think he blew only one save.
Bad news for the Mets. Closed Edwin Diaz is likely out for all or 2023. Ouch!
Probably won’t return to normal either afterwards.
thats so not true Ro…..come on
He needs to push off his right leg to attain max velocity and he will be missing significant time and rehab.
Sorry, that is true he will never be the same again; that’s a medical fact
Thanks, doc.
There’s a chance of that. It’s a big tendon. Bit like the Achilles. It will take some healing.
Mets gonna Met.
The WBC was a meaningless exhibition tournament. Now it has a whole lot of meaning for the Mets MLB season. Torpedo to the bow, no way around that fact.
He didn’t injure himself playing…
Not for the players. Not for many non-American fans. This is your personal opinion. Many disagree. This isn’t meant as a shot at the Mets, but that was probably the most important game of Diaz’s career.
Agreed. PR vs DR baseball is like USA vs USSR hockey. Most people don’t realize that the victory of the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team over the USSR’s “Red Army” in Lake Placid, NY was in the semifinals, not the Gold Medal Game. USA beat Finland in that one.
But the Olympic team, at the time, did not have professionals, with allegiances to NHL franchises. I remember those games. Thrilling. But some of those fellows did not even make it in the NHL. This is far different. Again., let’s say these players in the WBC… their careers were ended due to an injury, and their contracts voided as a result. Would that be okay? For them?
Yeah and I hope they do the same thing for the World Cup, and all star games too. And the Olympics as well if they try and bring that back.
*Cries in New Yorker tears
It could’ve happened just as easily in Spring Training.
@Lanidrac Ah, but do players jump up and down in a great thicket after winning an ST game?
They do not, sir.
No, but they can snap their knee just as easily in many other ways in a Spring Training game. For example, he could’ve tripped in the bullpen and had the exact same result.
I don’t consider it to be an exhibition tournament. While not as prestigious as a World Series Championship, winning a WBC title is still an awesome accomplishment, especially for Major Leaguers who can’t play in the Olympics.
Besides, Diaz could’ve just as easily done this in an exhibition Spring Training game.
Not that injury. He could’ve sustained an injury in spring, yes, but I’ll say almost no chance of that injury to that severity.
And it is an exhibition. Not meaningless at all to countries outside the US, but it’s a manufactured competition to substitute for the Olympics. I’m sure it means a lot, but no shot beating DR would trump a World Series victory for diaz.
The Mets are the team who literally practiced World Series celebrations in spring. So,I can definitely see it happening even without the WBC.
Yeah, it’s an Olympic substitute, and the Olympics aren’t meaningless, either. The WBC then surpasses the Olympics with MLB players involved. It doesn’t trump the MLB playoffs, but it does trump everything else in baseball.
Of course he could’ve suffered the same severe kind of injury in Spring Training! That’s the thing about freak injuries: they’re freak occurences! While it wouldn’t have happened celebrating, it could’ve just as easily happened in Spring Training by tripping in the bullpen, landing wrong on the mound, jogging around the field, or many other possible ways.
Well, I’ll edit my comment. As a met fan, our players can hurt themselves anywhere, anytime, any place.
Yeah, I’m not one of those “WBC sucks!” But I do think for a competition where not all the best talent actually plays, it just wouldn’t intrigue me. And I do wish they’d hold it after the MLB and Japanese seasons in warm weather climates instead.
You can’t ask players on teams that missed the playoffs to suddenly ramp it up again after a month off. March is the ONLY time of year where the WBC makes even a decent amount of sense to be played.
The WBC doesn’t trump anything. You can’t GET to the World Series if your best players are getting hurt in exhibition games. Spring training is just that… training. While injuries occur, the end game is training for a rigorous season. Players and managers are trying to avoid injuries, and condition. Not win games.
What would he be celebrating in a spring training game?
Striking out a recent 20th round draft pick?
espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31039615/new-york-mets-pra…
And yet…
And just like that, superstars will soon stop competing in the WBC. It was only a matter of time..
And I love the WBC btw..
Maybe Americans, doubtful for Latin Americans. Playing for their country is more important than a random professional team in another country.
That is just not true. The random country pays them and that’s more important to them I am sure.
“I am sure.”
I am not.
You make it sound like MLB is opposed to the WBC. MLB was a huge part of making the WBC happen, and is smart enough to realize that MLB players participating in the WBC is vital to the health of MLB’s future. The league that’s paying them could not be more enthusiastic about them participating in the WBC.
Honestly, blaming the WBC for this injury is ridiculous. He was celebrating, not playing when this happened. There was no baseball activity taking place.
Martras,
Except he wouldn’t have been celebrating or even closing in a ST Game. Closers pitch mid games instead of to minor leaguers at the end of a meaningless game.
Maybe he would have celebrated at his friend’s birthday party? Celebrations also happen outside of baseball. It’s like blaming restaurants for a player getting into a car accident on their way to eat out.
Your continued arguments against this are ridiculous. Yes, playing in the WBC is a direct causal affect. It happened, get over it and stop acting like you work for the WBC.
I understand the importance for the players, fans, and countries. In the US, it takes a backseat to the regular season, but that doesn’t mean it is not important. I believe every player has a right to be there unless they signed a contract stating they would not.
All that being said, he got hurt there celebrating a win that if it were spring training would mean nothing. Your nonsense about he could have gotten hurt any other number of ways is just utterly ridiculous. Instead of playing fantasy injury options how about comparing it to what his routine would have been like this time of year in spring training and asking yourself would he have likely gotten hurt. The odds are far lower. Again, it happened. Accept that the WBC played the most significant part and stop the nonsense. Your silly argument is probably turning more people away from the WBC than it is gaining support for it.
A freak injury like that could’ve happened a number of ways besides celebrating.
Besides, closing out a WBC game isn’t that much different from pitching in the middle of a Spring Training game, especially since they pitch midgame in the first place so that they can still face the starting lineup. Plus, a number of WBC teams have a few minor leaguers (or more/worse) in their lineups.
Honestly with the way causation is treated here, I’m surprised more people aren’t blaming Edwin’s game performance for the injury.
If he’d blown the save, there wouldn’t be a celebration. He wouldn’t get stepped on etc, and he wouldn’t be injured.
Therefore it’s his own fault
I blame the butterflies.
But what about the trumpets? Lolmets
Good news is, in eight months he’ll be fine. Bad news is, in eight months you’ll still be a dick.
Oh wow, man, your comment has really made me reevaluate the way I judge annoying players on opposing teams. Wait, wait, I got another one for you. “10.5 games up! The division is OVAH! Nobody is catching the Mets!” Lmao, always golden. The Mets have provided me more real laughs through the years than absolutely any other sports franchise, and I’m not sure it’s even close really.
Wow, thanks for the history lesson. I almost forgot that people who laugh at injuries are generally the dumbest turds on the planet. Carry on, imbecile.
Who would you say the smartest turds are?
Goodbye Timmy Trumpet, hello Sad Trombone.
Don’t worry, Timmy Trumpet knows how to play “Taps”
That’s funny, but cold blooded!
Time to ban celebrations. These fragile players can’t take a bit of celebration without damaging themselves.
[Cody Bellinger nods slowly]
Next man up! Blaming never helped an injury heal faster…
I think it makes the injured fan heal faster.
I can see the logic in that. Great response! Hahaha
Luis Castillo and Timo Perez now welcome Edwin Díaz into the Mets Hall of Stupidity.
That’s a shame.
Need another billion dollars to get them over the top…..
Ottavino was very good last year and Robertson has experience closing, But both of these guys are older, have a history of being inconsistent, and have histories of injuries. Mets need to be a bit aggressive about getting someone via trade or consider someone else in the bullpen (John Curtiss?). Diaz is truly irreplaceable.
Mets moment
A freak injury like that can happen any number of ways and just as easily in a Spring Training game. You can’t blame the WBC for it.
It seems to happen to Mets a lot.
@landric well said, this is a freak injury that could of happened getting out of his car heading into the ballpark or getting out of the shower the list goes on so should we ban all non bb activities and players must only stay in the park for the season.
I hate people blaming the tournament for this. First of all this was a celebration injury, not a baseball one. Second, if you can’t tell how much these games mean to the players then you obviously don’t know that these are not “meaningless games”
Totally agree. These guys take this tournament more seriously than the World Series, and it shows. This injury could have happened to him during a workout session, or even just doing a running drill.
No, the injury couldn’t have just happened during a workout session or a running drill. Because when you do those in Spring Training, you’re preparing your body for the season. You’re not making a relief appearance that’s so high leverage and intensity. These players bodies aren’t built up for playoff intensity like these games seem to mean for certain players.
Good news is Mets have prospects to deal from but question is will they.
Baty, Parada, Mauricio, Vientos, are all blocked for the foreseeable future.
Wonder if they could entice the Rockies to trade Bard or Giants Doval or Pirates Bednar or possibly acquire a few arms from the Rays who always seem to have a surplus of pitching.
Wonder no more. The Giants aren’t trading Doval.
Saying that they’re blocked is an overstatement. Escobar is on the last year of his deal. If/when the Mets decide that Baty is ready, is nothing to stop them platooning him, trading Escobar, or sending EE to the bench.
No one important is blocking Vientos from taking part or all of the DH role. The people there now are expendable. The other prospects are farther away than these two, and a lot happens in a couple of years.
Who’s blocking Baty right now? If they completed that deal for Correa, sure, but Escobar’s on his walk year and wouldn’t be blocking Baty if he were ready anyway.
Considering it was just Diaz in a group jumping up and down a couple of inches, this same injury could have happened if he was just in ST throwing. Sounds like it was something that was ready to tear and that minor jumping did it., Could have easily done the same thing in ST and covering first and hit thing bag with his right leg and it could have popped then . Easy thing to blame the Would Cup games but could have happened any way at the ST facility
Sorry your Patella tendon is very thick this was not something that was weakening for a while
Same thing could happen to any pitcher sprinting over to cover firstbase on a weak groundball. Dirt wasn’t even, spikes got caught, etc.
It is just odd to me that he did not do anything that wild. Was not a dog pile, They were all just jumping up and down literally 2-3 inches in unison. To me that would be no different or actually less risky than him running full speed to first to cover and jamming his right leg at the bag at an angle to get an out. That could have easily done the same damage considering what they were doing celebrating was minimal.
He just landed weirdly. It’s happened to Kendry Morales and Dellin Betances in the past. Guys practice lateral jumps on/off raised platforms all the time as part of their routines.
Basically my point. He landed weirdly and you see players as you say get an injury sometimes serious by weirdly landing and can happen any time when you are playing a sport. To blame it specifically because of the WBC was being played is only an emotion response to the injury.. Could have happened to him landing weirdly in a ST drill or game just the same. I have no problem with the players playing. I am a Pirates fan. Bednar. Underwood, and Contreras are/were playing in the WBC. as well. Bednar and Contreras are important pieces to the Pirates present and future. I am not bothered by them pitching..
Baseball players always get injured in the weirdest ways.
Didn’t they just give him a ton of money with an extension too? Or was that last winter going into the ’22 season?
They gave him the big extension last fall **and** announced it on an NFL Sunday when a Jets game was in progress.
MLB is now considering banning jumping jacks for the 2024 season. More to come.
It makes me wonder if this was something that was going to happen regardless of WBC or otherwise.
In addition to the stress/pressure put on the arms, the pitchers legs and joints are also always being slammed down and asked to exert enough force to throw the ball 95+.
I am not by means even close to a medical expert, but I am genuinely wondering if this was something that was going to happen in the near future regardless.
The answer is in the post right below this one. The Mets can trade with the Giants for Sergio
Romo.
Scott Barlow, c’mon down!
bobby bonnila is still on the pay roll.
just sayin’
@citizen
Barlow is a pretty good closer with the Royals. Might be a trading partner.
He made the throw from 3B. From the mound should be a breeze.
Uff da!
Shutdown David Robertson. Should be good for at least a 161-save season this year. He’ll blow one game.
Their ill wishes for deGrom were granted! Just to the wrong player… karma
Ill wishes? Who, the fans? Not hardly. Not management and ownership either. He got a longer deal than the Mets were willing to give. Good for him. He certainly wouldn’t be celebrating Diaz’s injury.
Surprised teams allow their players to participate. It’s an honor to do so but this can be the result. I hope Trout and Ohtani come out uninjured. Of course Ohtani threw a pitch at 102 mph yesterday so there’s that…
If teout gets hurt no one can blame WBC. He and Rendon love that IL the last few years.
Rendon yes, Trout no. Totally different work ethics. you can’t put them in the same class ever.
It ain’t a work ethic thing – he’s just brittle.
False.
Done for the season most likely. Mets are off to a rough start
They haven’t won a game since the Correa debacle
Good point. Has SF won a regular season game since then either?
Cards may have a bullpen crunch coming up, wonder if they be willing to deal hicks who has had his ups and downs.he could help the Mets and probably bring back a good prospect
Now it’s REALLY not funny. Sheesh. That’s awful
As Phillies fan who despises the Mets, you never want to see anyone get hurt. Wishing him well on the road to recovery
I was hoping it was Laz Diaz, but I guess you can’t have everything.
WBC sounds as if it’s a great thing and maybe but at least have it after the season
If he was already injured then he shouldn’t have been pitching in the WBC. I feel for him but not for the Mets…they should have told him not to play.
Right. I was just making fun of them 2 days ago for being a dysfunctional version of the Yankees still then this.
I think the Mets are going to be fine – right in the thick of the NL east with WS upside. Maybe they add relief help at the deadline to fortify things; most contenders do anyway.
I think the big loss is for baseball itself; overshadowing a historic game in a growing global spotlight, and now losing the aura and mystique of Trumpets to close out games in a huge media market, which was an experience in of itself.
Hopefully he picks up right where he left off; baseball is healthier when unique talents like him are doing their thing.
Americans will never understand the importance of the WBC for players representing their countries. And for Puerto Rico to beat the Dominican Republic and eliminate them must have felt like the Red Sox eliminating the Yankees, maybe more. As a Venezuelan I love the WBC because it’s the one chance I get to see all my idols together defending our country. (Believe me… if we beat the USA Team this saturday the celebration will be as hard as the Puertoricand did yesterday)
@venez i agree to most of us americans we don’t see the wbc as a big deal because well every year from march to october we get to see the best in the world and anything that isn’t a mlb season is just a “meaningless” game. just because we don’t care as much about the wbc doesn’t mean it’s a meaningless tourney for a lot of these countries especially those with economic or political strife they can forget about there problems and be proud of there country and there best playing on a big stage.
brodie-bruce — “for a lot of these countries especially those with economic or political strife they can forget about there problems and be proud of there country and there best playing on a big stage.”
…so Americans are interested in the WBC?!??! 🙂
Venezolano1969 — As an American, I love the WBC! There are lots of players that play in rival teams, but during the WBC I can root for guys that I wouldn’t normally. I also take a bit of pride in Baseball being an American sport, so I hope USA always shows up. (Like the English and Soccer).
Just saying, there are LOTS of Americans that love the WBC too. Don’t let all the sour-grapes posts make you think otherwise. (This is an Article about a player suffering a season ending injury, some moaning should be expected and understood.)
Freak injury. Nothing more, nothing less. Just as easily could have slipped in the dugout on a rest day in Port St Lucie with Cohen and Buck right there in attendance. People using the WBC as a scapegoat are just wrong.
Patella injury is worse than ligaments, that’s potentially career ending. Bad break for Diaz, but even if he never returns to form he’s set for life and a few generations of children after him as well. A flukey way to have things turn out for him.
Mets have some choices to backfill late innings, but this is still a difficult loss in baseball’s best division. Cant just throw money at this problem…..will test Mets organization creativity. Time will tell…….
“…will test Mets organization creativity.”
—for the love of god, have you no mercy?
I don’t know who this player Edwin Diaz is without MLBTR’s usual four paragraphs describing his first games in little league and how he did in his minor league career. Plus, I really missed those paragraphs explaining in detail his first couple seasons in the league seven years ago. 😉
In all seriousness though, this not only sucks for Mets fans but for nearly all baseball fans as well. Rivals won’t miss him but for the rest of us he was one of the most exciting closers in the game. Dang it!
Here’s a tip. Don’t read MLB trade rumors, since you’re so damn sanctimoniously brilliant.
And no, I won’t miss Diaz. Not a bit.
Of course he’s in good spirits, his $105m is guaranteed and he has a job waiting for him after he recovers. Although I’m guessing he’ll never be the same pitcher ever again. I think it’s $105 million down the drain.
Don’t be such a sourpuss. He’ll be a solid 4.20 ERA MR.
LOL Mets. This is just the beginning. By mid season that roster will look like a geriatric ward. Pathetic. Cohen is an ass. If not for Phlubbies they’d be the biggest joke in baseball.
A simple high five should do after a victory, maybe a pat on the ass and get back to the dugout. The real losers are us fans who wont get too see the best players compete due to bonehead injuries like this.
Really. So your disappointment at not seeing Diaz pitch, trumps a fellow human having to endure surgery and then 6months of slow, tedious, painful rehab. All the while dealing with the mindf@ck of knowing that you might not get back to the awesome peak that you had just worked your way too. Ok. You have taken it hard.
@foppert I’m not a Mets fan so wether he’s playing or not I don’t really care. But fans with the over the top sympathy for pro athletes getting a knee injury, arm injury, etc I find a little ridiculous. The man didn’t die. Worst case scenario is he walks with a limp the rest of his life while collecting the $100 million guaranteed contract he signed. I’ll save my sympathy for people who get injured on the job and because of it have no idea how they are gonna put food on the table or even worse, die on the job. So yes, I’ll admit. I care more about watching the best players competing on the field than I do about a guy in Diaz’s situation having knee surgery. Maybe I’m selfish, idk.
Chipper. That’s fair. I respect the honesty. I’m pretty sure the fans will cope as well. That’s my point. Saying they are the real losers when a man suffers a possible career defining injury, is off the hook self entitlement imo.
@foopert Yeah I don’t know if that’s self entitlement or not. I’m a Braves fan and in 2021 when Acuna got hurt I’ll admit, my first thought was how are the Braves going to replace him. Also I really didn’t think the team would be as fun to watch because, at that time, he was really the only guy performing. Didn’t lose a wink of sleep worried about Acuna’s surgery or the rehab he would have to go through. But I probably did lose a minute or two wondering how AA would replace his production and if I’d be able to watch games that matter down the stretch. It’s just being a fan and there was nothing life threatening about the injury, same with Diaz. Luckily AA pushed the right buttons and I was able to watch competitive Braves games all the way through the WS. I think that’s what 99% of all baseball fans truly care about unless the injury is life threatening like getting hit in the head, etc.
It wasn’t an egregious celebration. It was a simple jump up and down. It actually looked fairly cautious and safe. I was shocked he got hurt. Freak injury.
Diaz is not a huge loss.. Someone else will step in. The “closer role” is such a hugely overrated concept. Most pitchers are able to get through 1 inning without any problem. Over the years pitching the 9th inning has been elevated to a level of godlike status it never used to be in the 80s and prior. Back then relievers lower on the depth chart used to pitch the 9th all the time without problems
Now maybe if youre fighting and scratching for the last wild card spot it makes a difference, but the Mets arent in that position
This will have little impact on their season. One reliever, even the #1 reliever in baseball, does not have the level of impact people think it does
The reality is, Drew Smith can step in, Ottavino, Robertson, or any of the other guys. Who knows, it may even take some of the pressure off, be a break from all the excitement and sensationalism of having Diaz in, and change the makeup of the team for the better
Camden453 “Diaz is not a huge loss.”
LMAO!!!
Too funny.
@THEY LIVE!!! I mean, who wouldn’t swap 65 innings of shutdown high pressure relief for 65 innings of Chasen Shreve with anything other than a shrug?
I agree with some of your points, but Buck used Diaz pretty smartly. He wasn’t afraid to pitch him in do-or-die situations in the 7th 8th or 9th. It wasn’t about getting saves per se. The guy was virtually unhittable. The Mets will definitely miss him, but the idea that their season is done is just ridiculous. When you don’t have a Diaz type, you use a bullpen by committee. The Mets can still succeed with this.
We’ve seen Diaz break down and lose it. Walks. Fastballs that fly two feet off the plate. Batters hopping over sliders that veer in feet from the plate. Then he takes something off and throws a fastball down the middle and it gets hit out
That type of breakdown will probably happen in the biggest game of his career somewhere deep in the playoffs
I give him the benefit of the doubt, but I don’t expect him to deliver when the entire season, entire World Series hinges on him getting through the inning
That WBC game was a World Series type of environment. It was the biggest game of his career and he delivered.
@von i would like to add this too, this is the type of injury that all teams wanting to win a chip face, but the winners find a way to win. this is the mets first test on the long road to winning a ws. the question is are the mets going to go out there win not having diaz, or just fold and make excuses why they didn’t win? also if 1 guy is going to make or break your season then your team wasn’t that good to start with (this applies to all teams really not just the mets)
@brodie Exactly. No team has ever won the World Series without injury concerns.
So, what team has a contract they desperately want to get rid of and who are willing to attach a closer in order to accomplish this?
Scott Barlow and Hunter Dozier for prospects
But KC will have so many suitors for Barlow, that that’s not a move they have to make, at all
I dont know that Dozier’s contract is bad enough.
Maybe Yelich, but Brewers probably wouldn’t want to make that kind of move now. Maybe in July depending on where they are in the standings.
Otoh, given how volatile relievers are from year to year it probably makes more sense from the Mets perspective to wait until in season to make a big move anyway.
Sergio Romo may still be willing to pitch. Go get him.
Romo just announced his retirement …
Great talent. Here’s to a speedy and full recovery. Go Phils!
For all the WBC hype, this is the worst case scenario that everyone worries about! They need to have the WBC in the off season, easier to recover
Unfortunate injury but at least no more Timmy Trumpet sideshow with dancing baseballs.
Can they refuse to pay him because he was stoopid?
He wasn’t really stupid. It was a cautious celebration. A tiny leap equal to something people do daily. It was a freak thing.
As I said earlier, could have done the same thing if he was having to cover 1st in that game or any ST Game.
Or if a spaceship fell out of the sky and hit his knee.
If I already had the Mets for 3rd in their division does this drop them to 4th place?
In your alternate universe, yes.
Yes, but everybody else in the division drops down a notch as well. So it cancels out.
If I’m Zach Britton I’m holding out for 3 years and $33 million. After all, Cohen has proven already to have way more money than brains. Stick it to them Zach!!!
Zach might have, but he goes by Zack.
He changed the “h” to a “k” and now he can’t find a job. Better he go back to Zach.
Tell him to try Zac.
Just read about a Pirates top 20 prospect Dariel Lopez. He dislocated a knee cap this off season doing a team designed workout that included jumping. Done for the year. Eerily familiar to Diaz.
At least he got his money
People still do not learn from the mistakes of the past, or from Kendrys Morales.
And this is the exact reason why every team owner – manager- and general manager, should not allow their players/investments to participate in the WBC. That’s a huge loss for the Mets and it didn’t even happen on their watch.
If players are going to get injured it better be at the cost while wearing the uniform of the teams that’s paying you. Imagine if that was, Trout, J-Rod, Harper, etc. it should 100% be in the players contracts “if you play in the WBC and get injured, you ain’t getting paid from Us” .
He didn’t get injured playing, he got injured doing something ridiculous. Yes, he was a member of Puerto Rico, but he wasn’t actively playing at the time, the game was over. Ban jumping up and down with 10 guys around you with cleats on that could step on your foot, what could go wrong…
It was a pretty tame celebration, and no one jumped on him as you imply here. His knee gave when he jumped.
VonPurpleHayes
Oh dear, I haven’t implied anything at all about people jumping on Diaz foot. I said that could happen as a result of jumping up and down with 10 guys with cleats on around you. Argue with yourself.
I heard a guy on ESPN saying these are “exhibition games”. How does he come up with that. These people have zero idea, the same as fans who have said “this is pointless”.
It’s obvious that some players at this baseball tournament, not “exhibition”, love their countries, and love playing for their countries and being patriots more than some players or fans who think they have more passion playing for their clubs.
It isn’t the same thing and it never will be, but that depends on your level of how much you love your own country, going by some people’s comments here, not so much, or they just do not get it.
Fred McGriff HR;
Here’s the thing….
Most of the people posting here today are talking about how important the WBC is.
In fact, MLB.COM has been covering it extensively.
However, I don’t see where MLBTR has covered it at all (perhaps I missed an article), and I’ve seen no posts in the comment section about it until a name player got inured – so MLBTR posted this story and posters are falling over themselves talking about how important the WBC is.
Samuel,
It’s more than likely the fact that some people never even heard of it before this particular version of the series in 2023. It’s been going a long time, and I’ve always loved seeing it for the fact you do get the passion from the majority of countries involved and their fans, just not from mainly one specific country, which most of the commenters who are negative about it come from.
This was the original article covering it.
mlbtraderumors.com/2023/03/poll-who-will-win-the-2…
Most of the ‘big name players’, are big name players, due to ‘mainly one specific country’. Nobody is questioning players’ loyalty to their homeland, even though many players on those teams are actually born in ‘one specific country’. But asking a team, and its fandom, to commit to players in massive fashion, and then losing the same players in a random tournament outside that commitment… is a bit disingenuous.
Bronxmac77
How is it “random”. Do you actually know the history of the World Baseball Classic, many Americans do not because they think the World Series between two American teams is actually a ‘World Series’, well it patently isn’t, hence they come up with “exhibition games”, “meaningless baseball games” amongst the other negative & derisive inaccurate comments about the WBC that I’ve seen on MLBTR. Some people think this was the first time the WBC was played, the reason for that line of thinking is that the majority of countries had all their best players playing so it created more interest this time, and the USA still lost to ‘AAA’ Japan.
You seen that guys hair? Lol.
WBC canceled.
Sign Roberto Osuna. Couple weeks of PR headaches and everyone will forget the past like they do with anyone else that performs.
Sign Roberto Osuna. Couple weeks of PR headaches and everyone will forget JJ the past like they do with anyone else that performs.
Too bad for the player. For the Mets, even I think this is unexpected. Diaz is one of the Mets’ younger players.
Whew, I can feel the Mets fans’ pain. I wanted Diaz to test the market and the Marlins to take a shot at him. Had that happened and we landed him, then this happen…I would’ve been ticked off. This stings when you are in the NL East and having to deal with the challenges of the division. And now to be in a situation where your Closer is out and you can potentially not be able to hold leads is rough. I know this from a fan experience of watching my team blow leads all over the place.
For Diaz, at least he got paid, but as a human, you hope he can recover from it for his career.
You really think Sherman would allocate that big of a percentage of payroll to sign Diaz? Yeah it totally sucks for Mets fans and baseball losing an elite closer for the season.
I’m not sure what to think of Sherman right now. There is some spending, but not all-out spending, but some of it seems to be Ng’s resistance a little. They attempted to sign Bellinger, Josh Bell, Drury and a few others, but couldn’t bring them to the finish line. They mis-spent on some of their current roster. Once they seem truly ready to go all in, then we’ll see what Sherman is about.
With Diaz, he was the right fit for the Marlins both in need and age. It made too much sense if he entered the market. But we’ll never know since Diaz never tested the market.
I didn’t care about the WBC before. Now I actively hate it.
You’re a Mets fan. There’s not much to enjoy about life.
@WiffleBall – EXACTLY!!!
I wonder if he also hated those Omar Minaya Los Mets and Jose Jose Jose Reyes years since that’s a small bit of the type of atmosphere that the WBC has.
I loved Jose Reyes as a Met and 2006 was one of my favorite teams.
I loved the two Carloses and Pedro too for that matter (though I wish Pedro had more health still in him).
Feel free to keep implying that anyone who doesn’t care about the WBC must dislike it for racist reasons though if it makes you feel better.
I actually wasn’t insinuating it as being for racist reasons. I was actually referring to a Mets bias because you hate the WBC when it brings an even more celebratory atmosphere than the Los Mets and Jose Reyes’ antics did (which you admit to loving).
Your answer about liking that Mets stuff while hating the WBC confirms what I was actually getting at.
I am known on these boards to bash Mets fans for their contradictions, fickleness, and other frailties. I don’t get into the political crud that others bring here. Do keep up.
My bad, I apologize.
A Mets bias I will happily admit too.
People don’t hate the WBC. People think that players who readily accept nine-figure deals should do whatever they can to fulfill their end of those deals. Playing in a tournament independent (and possibly at risk) of those goals seems to contradict why those players signed those contracts in the first place.
Fair. lol. Last year was fun though.
Oh My God ! Out for the Year ?! . Horrible. These idiots jumping around like idiots deserve it. The celebrations have gone way too far. People are getting hurt because they jumped him and twisted and turned him. What a bunch of idiots. I hope this is a lesson, and well earned for All teams and players of every level. Chill the F Out!
Horrendous take, grandpa.
You sir, are hilarious
Cohen can afford to lose as much money as you can imagine. It’s not about the money. It’s about losing the productivity Diaz brought to the team which literally cannot be replaced. Everyone complaining about the money just doesn’t get it. He only cares about winning and he’s willing to lose money to do so.
Horrendous take, child.
If that’s not the case then can you explain why he gave Diaz that deal and the timing of the signing? Child?
Dan is exactly right.
Can’t really fault Edwin for showing a little yippee. Got Teoscar to end the night and help PR advance. Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee got Teoscars to on Sunday and they were pretty pumped
Remember Jamie Lee in the mirror in Trading Places? Good god.
—The Mets will miss Diaz. Short of dealing they’re now looking at replacing what might have been the best 65 innings in MLB with a guy who otherwise wasn’t going to make the team out of ST, their eighth or ninth-best reliever. That’s a guy with an ERA over 4.50, on average, especially with a pen that was thin before Edwin’s jump for joy.
They were already likely to battle with the Phils for 2nd place. Strip them of another 3 wins and they’ll have trouble ensuring a lock on 6th in the NL and a playoff slot.
Imagine a $450m payroll + penalties, and now you have to sweat making the wild card playoff. Well, that’s what happens when you have holes all over the roster and think, “I know it’s the deepest position in the organization, but what we really need is an incredibly expensive shortstop in significant decline… wait, hear me out….”
It’s almost as if there’s a price for doing stupid shet…
Not a Mets fan. Actually, as a Yankees fan, I point and laugh at the Mets a lot.
Having said that, if Mr. Cohen were to absorb the entire payroll himself, without any incoming baseball revenue streams, he could do so, with relative ease. The man wants to win. Jose Altuve busted his thumb in the WBC, costing the World Champions their 2B man. Trying to win is not stupid. Owners who pocket their fans money, as well as revenue-sharing money, without trying to field a competitive team, is worse than stupid. It is toxic.
Remember Jamie Lee in the mirror in Trading Places? Good god.
—The Mets will miss Diaz. Short of dealing they’re now looking at replacing what might have been the best 65 innings in MLB with a guy who otherwise wasn’t going to make the team out of ST, their eighth or ninth-best reliever. That’s a guy with an ERA over 4.50, on average, especially with a pen that was thin before Edwin’s jump for joy.
They were already likely to battle with the Phils for 2nd place. Strip them of another 3 wins and they’ll have trouble ensuring a lock on 6th in the NL and a playoff slot before September 28th, at best.
Imagine a $450m payroll + penalties, and now you have to sweat making the wild card playoff. Well, that’s what happens when you have holes all over the roster and think, “I know it’s the deepest position in the organization, but what we really need is an incredibly expensive shortstop in significant decline… wait, hear me out….”
It’s almost as if there’s a price for foolishness.
This isnt the wbc’s problem. This is the world we live in bad things happen it sucks.. People need to stop with the blame game as this could have happend any place at any time
As I said on my own, let’s see if you have the same attitude when it’s someone on your team going down.
Im a red sox fan..google chris sale..bike wreck..broken rib sneezing…hell we had a guy shoot himself by mistake a while back..so yea i get your sour grapes but come on lol
Wade Boggs… cowboy boots injury… :-0
Wow, NJ Turdsfan is PISSED. Somebody get him his binkie.
All I’ll say is if you’re a talking head making the argument that anyone can get injured at any time, and that the WBC is a worthwhile event, you’d better be singing the same tune when one of YOUR guys goes down. Because it’s going to happen, especially when you try to ramp up this quickly during spring training.
That the best you got?
Wait, you’re telling me fans will have to deal with players getting injured? How utterly shocking.
Can Cano come back and pitch?
terrible that this happened but as a yankee fan i’m excited to see d-rob step up and achieve folk hero status
That sucks for both him and the team. They still look like contenders in the East. It’ll be just that more difficult without Diaz. Hopefully he has a quick recovery and gets to pitch towards the end of the season.
Edlose Diaz confirmed
The impact of the WBC, I hope the commissioner pays the medical and salary cost to the
METS.
Kendrys Morales?
In case it wasn’t mentioned already
Folks, stop blaming and ridiculing the WBC. It’s not meaningless and it’s not silly. It matters to the players, and it matters to the countries and locations that don’t regularly get to see the best players in the world compete in games that are, to them, intrinsically meaningful.
Oh, and it’s good for the overall health of the sport.
Is it, in this case, bad for the Mets? Sure. But that’s sports, and that’s life. Rational adults should be able to deal with it. As for the rest of you, kindly put your thumbs in your mouths where they belong. The rest of us don’t want to hear your crying.
Actually… I like to hear their ‘crying’…
How about playing the WBC around MLB playoff time? Similar to the NFL and the Pro Bowl. Teams in the playoffs are ineligible to participate until/unless they are eliminated. Playoffs are regionally supported. No one in Tampa Bay cares about the Padres, and vice-versa. The WBC, as folks have said, is global. I think the timing would be better. Players are conditioned. And you risk less of a full MLB season..
What do youse think?