Mets closer Edwin Díaz has been on the injured list all season after undergoing knee surgery in March but is still hoping for a return later in the season. “If everything keeps going how it’s going, we’ve got a chance to pitch,” he tells Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. “The trainers and doctors will decide, but I feel great. Let’s see what’s coming for us.”
Díaz was pitching for his native Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic when he closed out the quarterfinal game, knocking out the Dominican Republic squad. The celebratory atmosphere quickly turned somber as Díaz crumpled to the ground in obvious pain and needed a wheelchair to be removed from the field. He underwent surgery the next day to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee and was given an expected recovery timeline of eight months, though some players can return in around six months in rare cases.
The two-month difference between the expected timeline and the optimistic timeline is significant since the surgery took place in mid-March. If Díaz were to be healthy after the expected eight-month time frame, it would be the middle of November and he would miss the entire season. But getting on the quicker path could mean a return in the middle of September, just in time for the final weeks of the schedule and a potential postseason run.
At this point, it’s still too early to say whether that will be attainable or not. Díaz himself admits that it will ultimately be up to the trainers and doctors, depending on how things proceed over the next three months or so. But the fact that it’s still on the table is surely good news for the Mets and their fans. “My scar is looking good,” Díaz says. “My knee is doing well, responding really well to all the exercise. We’re happy.”
Díaz has been one of the better relievers in baseball in his career, already racking up 205 saves before he turned 29 back in March. 2022 was arguably his best season to date, as he posted a 1.31 ERA over 62 innings, striking out an incredible 50.2% of batters faced while walking 7.7% and getting grounders at a 46.9% rate. He was slated to reach free agency after that but he and the club agreed to a new deal the day after the World Series ended, before he had officially hit the open market. The five-year, $102MM deal set a new record, the largest guarantee ever secured by a relief pitcher.
Without Díaz, the bullpen hasn’t been a strong point for the Mets. Their relievers have a collective 4.19 ERA on the season, a mark that puts them 20th out of the 30 clubs in the league. David Robertson has done well in the closer’s role, collectiving 10 saves while registering a 1.48 ERA, but Díaz coming back and bumping Robertson into a setup role would only make the whole group stronger. With the Mets likely to be in a tight playoff race as the season goes along, the progress of Díaz will be a fascinating storyline to keep an eye on.
I wouldn’t rush him, he’s too valuable to have lingering issues into 2024. Robertson can hold the fort down, if need be get a rental reliever at the trade deadline.
Exactly I think it’s stupid when they rush them back late season. Wouldn’t it be better off to shut him down and slowly build him up with an extra long off season? Look what happened to Dustin May
What’s he supposed to call him, Mr. Diaz?
Please come back healthy and effective, Edwin. Still upset that the Mariners traded you away. Always fun to watch Edwin pitch.
You and him on a first name basis……love it.
The Mariners had to trade him to get the Mets to accept the Cano contract.
There was another aspect of that trade that turned out to be a win for the Mets. Supposedly, the Mets, still run by the cost-conscious Wilpons at the time, were looking for ways to get the Ms to eat more of Canó’s contract. There was a belief at the time that Seattle would have done that if the Mets included Jeff McNeil instead of Gerson Bautista. That would’ve been a disaster for the Mets.
Edlose Diaz confirmed
What a stunningly stupid comment.
I think you mean Edsave Diaz.
Love the commitment especially after the big contract. Love it.
Why take a chance rushing back? Mets arent going nowhere anyway might as well enjoy the year off with pay. I know I would.
They are currently a playoff team, and that is with four of their top five starters missing significant time already. Troll harder, dork.
The starters are old and will probably continue to miss time. Just because they are in the running for a wild card does not make them a contender in my eyes sorry. The team just is not very good but clearly you are a blind fan.
And clearly you are an idiot. Contention is contention no matter what you say.
The Mutts will hover around 500 all season. Not a contender.
“Mutts!” So clever
Oh yeah, I forgot about this. The crazy crazy celebrating. At any level, I hope the lesson is learned. Grabbing and twisting at people. Hitting them, running at them full speed to tackle. Need to be more careful.
Diaz didn’t do any of those things. His injury was a true freak injury.
Imo it looked like Diaz didn’t want to celebrate in that jumping fashion but caved into I guess peer pressure as teammates swarmed around.
Let us all take this as a lesson in the dangers of social conformity.
Cue Timmy Trumpet!
How many people are on Team Diaz? Judging by his quotes in the first paragraph, there’s more than one guy that’s trying to return to the mound
I think he’s including the doctors and trainers. It’s common for players to consider their health a team effort with the health professionals and team management.
Unlikely. And no reason to if the Mets are out of contention. Aim toward 2024.