New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz blew his third consecutive save on Saturday against the Miami Marlins, surrendering four runs in a third of an inning of work. The Mets would go on to lose to the Marlins by a 10-9 margin in 10 innings (box score).
Díaz's troubles started out of the gate in the ninth, as he surrendered a leadoff double to Vidal Bruján. An Emmanuel Rivera pop-up served as the only out Díaz was able to induce. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Bryan De La Cruz recorded consecutive singles, plating a run and putting Josh Bell in position to tie the game with a home run.
Bell did just that, knotting the score at 9-9 and chasing Díaz from the game. Take a look:
Veteran southpaw Jake Diekman replaced Díaz and forced extra innings.
Díaz, 30, missed all of last season after suffering a complete right patellar tendon tear during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He entered Saturday having compiled a 3.57 ERA (109 ERA+) and a 3.86 strikeout-to-walk ratio across his first 17 appearances this year. Alas, Díaz has scuffled as of late. He gave up two runs in an inning on Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies, and then another run on Thursday, also against the Phillies.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor theorized on Friday that Díaz's issues stemmed from his unfamiliarity with the pitch clock. "I'm not making excuses for him, but this is his first year with the pitch clock, you know?" Lindor told reporters, including Manny Gómez of NJ.com. "I'm trying to slow everything down. At the end of the day, this is his first time working with the clock, and he's working too fast."
Regardless of one's thoughts on Lindor's theory, the Mets need Díaz to find his form sooner than later.
The Mets, with Saturday's loss, are now 20-25 on the season. They've dropped seven of their last nine contests.